A Father's Love
by trueGeek
Summary: Sofia's birth father, Birk Balthazar comes to the castle seeking an audience with the King and Queen and longs to correct the wrongs he's committed in the past. But are his motives completely pure, or is there something he's still hiding from everyone? Follow each character as they try and figure out who Birk really is. Thank you to Sofia2015 for the initial idea.
1. Chapter 1: Pain

**Hello everyone! This is my first Sofia fanfiction and I hope you enjoy it. Since I've been working on this story for almost upwards of two years now, I've decided it's time to revisit my older chapters and make adjustments. Thank's for all of those who have given feedback, both on and off this site! For those of you who are just discovering this story today, I hope you enjoy and feel free to leave a review! I always like to see them and what I can improve on :)**

 **A Father's Love**

 **Chapter 1: Pain**

Miranda walked with her husband into the throne room. She often accompanied him to his meetings with citizens of their Kingdom. She had become queen little more than two years ago, and at first, she did little else than observe in these meetings and make suggestions on resolving issues between citizens, but she was learning. Now, more often than not, she had been able to contribute to decisions of trade, policy and diplomatic relations. As it turns out, she wasn't half bad at being queen. It felt good, and she was finally starting to feel like she belonged here.

Roland led Miranda to her throne and they sat down together. He smiled at her, "Ready?" He asked, patting her hand. Miranda nodded and the king motioned to Baileywick to show in the first petitioner.

Miranda watched the man as he walked into the king's throne room. He moved cautiously, his gaze downcast. The way he moved reminded her of a guilty dog. Every couple of seconds he would glance at the Queen, then return his eyes to the floor. Miranda stiffened; it couldn't be him. It wouldn't be him. Would it?

He was still a ways away from them as the throne room was very large. She was just imagining things, why would he be here? She had no reason to worry; this was just another citizen coming to see the king and queen about an issue that would not directly affect their lives. As he approached however, she realized this was not true. It was him; there was no mistake. He seemed different though. He no longer stumbled in zigzags as he walked, and the whites of his eyes were clear, untainted by the familiar red she had been accustomed to.

"Your majesties," the man greeted, bowing low. His voice was clear and soft, yet it made Miranda's stomach turn. "Thank you for meeting with me. I am Birk Balthazar, your humble subject."

Miranda's stomach tightened and she pressed her folded hands onto her abdomen. It was all she could do to keep herself from gagging.

Roland looked at the man with general kindness as he did all of his subjects when they came into the throne room. "What is it you need my good man?" He asked in his deep, warm voice.

Miranda's lips tightened, but tried her best not to show it. She could imagine this man being many things, and none of which would be described as 'good.'

"I humbly request to meet the acquaintance of Princess Sofia." Birk said slowly.

Miranda gripped the arm of her chair so hard her nails dug into the soft wood. She could feel her heart pounding against her ribcage. _Wait, how does he know her name? Of course, she is the Princess; he must have found us because of all the commotion of the royal wedding. Whatever the case may be, who is he to come after all these years, barge into my new life and suddenly take interest in my daughter?_ It took all her restraint not to jump at his throat. She stood up sharply, "Why!" She demanded. She knew her tone was too harsh, too hostile. But it was hard to maintain her queenly air around this man. "What do you want with her?"

Birk winced at the queen's apparent distaste for him but regained his composure.

"Miranda?" Roland asked, concerned and confused. He looked at her and she at him. His compassionate concern calmed her down a little bit. She let out a small breath she didn't know she had been holding and relaxed her fists so that her nails no longer dug grooves into her skin.

"You, of all people, my queen, have the right to speak to me as you do. But I'm here to tell you that the man you once knew is no more, and I wish, with all my heart to make amends for all the harm I did to you and to the Princess." Miranda scowled. Roland stood and looked at her, confusion and concern spreading across his face. Miranda couldn't look him in the eye; He was too calm, too concerned about her own feelings. He probably didn't see the dangerous man right in front of him. Didn't he realize this stranger, at least to him, was asking to see their daughter? No, he wasn't stupid, of course he did, but he wasn't going to make a judgment of the man until he knew more. It both pleased and irked her sometimes that he was so meticulous about gathering information first.

"Prithee, tell us why you want to see our daughter." Roland said as he stood up next to his wife. Miranda saw the man wince ever so slightly at the mention of "our." Had Roland noticed it? She hoped, prayed that he did. _Please tell me he saw, please tell me he has an inkling to who this man is so I don't have to explain later. Listen to me, since when have Rollie and I kept secrets from each other? Although, I haven't heard much about his former wife, so I guess we still don't know everything about each other's pasts._ Miranda decided that whether or not Roland knew who this man was, she'd tell her husband the whole story later.

She returned her gaze to the man—when had she looked away?

"As I said before, your Majesty," the man spoke up again, "I long to correct the wrongs I've committed against the Queen and the Princess." Birk gazed at the ground in silence for a few moments before speaking again—much softer this time.

"Miranda." He turned his gaze upwards again, his icy blue eyes soft and glistening. She hated the sound of her name coming from his lips; he looked like a dog hopelessly begging for scraps. It made her sick.

Birk continued, "I know you don't trust me, you have every right to. You have every right to deny me my request. But I truly long to be reunited with my daughter, to know her and have her know me, as it should have been from the beginning. I know you hate me, and I'm sure Sofia does too. But I want to make it right! Please Miranda, I'm not the man I used to be! At least let me see her?"

Roland stayed silent and gazed at his wife.

Miranda's brows arched farther down. She blinked hard, then looked back at the man. His eyes carried no malice, no trace of the rage that had once had filled them so easily. He was genuine, something Miranda had not seen from him in many, many years.

Despite the fact she had no reason to trust him, something in her softened toward him. "I... cannot give you an answer right now." Sadness filled Miranda's eyes. "Come by tomorrow, and you will have your answer."

The man's eyes gleamed as he looked up at the queen. "Thank you, your Majesty." He bowed, and then was escorted out of the throne room.

Miranda sighed and fell limply into her chair, rubbing her forehead with one hand, hiding her face. For a long moment, she stayed like that. Roland touched her shoulder, and she flinched. It wasn't him; he wasn't the one that made her flinch. His touch was warm and loving, and she wanted to relax into his touch, but she couldn't. She couldn't meet his gaze. Gently, she removed his hand from her shoulder and stood. He slid his hand down to touch hers and she took it, she was glad to have him there. For that moment, she had forgotten that she had a husband she could lean on for support; she was no longer alone in her internal battles. No, she never forgot Roland was a good husband, but seeing Birk after all these years made her feel anxious, alone, and unworthy of comfort. That's why she had flinched at Roland's first touch; she did not feel she deserved it. She had lied to him—not by saying something that was untrue, but by not saying anything at all. He knew about Birk, Miranda had at least told him of the man's existence. From the scene that just played out, he'd probably gathered that Birk was Sofia's father and they had a history she had kept from him. He knew she hadn't told him the whole truth, yet he was not angry, not wrathful—none of those things were even in his nature. He was waiting patiently, ready to comfort her, ready to listen to her. She wanted to throw herself into his embrace, to cry into his chest until her tear ducts were dry and she could no longer feel the pain the savage man had inflicted upon her years ago. Why didn't she? Oh, that's right. She didn't deserve it.

Miranda let go of Roland's hand and ambled out of the throne room. She wasn't sure where she was going, just away from here. Sometimes when she needed alone time, she'd go to the garden or sit on the balcony of her and Roland's room. But her legs couldn't carry her that far. Shortly after she was out of the throne room and out of earshot of Roland, she broke down. She leaned against the wall, sobbing, and sank to the floor. Yes, this is where she belonged, alone with her sorrows and pain. She didn't deserve anybody else. It was just as Birk had said countless times before.

Roland wanted so badly to follow his wife. But he knew better. She'd only be comforted when she sought it out, or when she'd had her fill of alone time, and then he'd be able to go to her and simply wait until she was ready to talk. Only when she told him what was going on, would she accept his embrace and return it and feel comforted. In their short marriage, he had learned her well enough to know at least that much.

Baileywick spoke after a long moment. "Your Majesty?" Roland turned to face his steward. He could tell Baileywick wanted to say something but was unsure of exactly what. Roland knew the man wanted to continue with the meetings, or at least ask, but he had never seen Miranda act like this before. Something so private had never been expressed in front of others. He knew it would be better if he left her alone, at least for a little while, that way she could calm down. Then, maybe she'd talk to him. He would continue with the meetings for now, see two or three more people, and then seek out his precious wife.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Baileywick." Roland said quietly. Baileywick was still silent. When it was clear he wasn't going to speak, Roland told him his decision. "Everything will be alright. I'll see two more people and then go care for my wife. She'll need some time before she's ready to talk."

Baileywick relaxed visibly and gave a look of relief. "Of course, your Majesty." He walked away and saw the next person inside. Roland sat back on his throne and hoped what he told Baileywick was true. The last time Miranda mentioned her former husband, she and Roland were not yet married. He knew they divorced when Sofia was still a baby, but she gave no solid reason, and as much as he cared for his queen, he didn't wish to pry.


	2. Chapter 2: Comfort

**Here's the updated chapter 2! I'd like to very quickly thank jetmanas for the reviews and constructive advise!**

 **I don't own Sofia the First or the characters associated with it.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 2: Comfort**

The meetings went quickly enough. One of his messengers returned and informed him that the Kingdom of Corona had accepted their trade agreement and would be sending over a shipment within the next week. The second meeting consisted of a troublesome set of shopkeepers, arguing about a debt that hadn't been settled. Roland thought, again, that he should assign another position to hear these petty debates between his subjects. A judge of sorts to handle all the matters that were not absolutely vital to the running of the Kingdom. Of course, every subject was important to the kingdom's success but perhaps someone else could oversee these squabbles? Maybe that would free up some of Roland's time and he'd be more available to deal with the inner workings of his family. A selfish goal? Perhaps, but Roland would not pass a law right this second. For now, he would take a break and check on his wife.

"Baileywick, tell everyone to come back in a few hours, I need to tend to my family."

"Of course your Majesty." Baileywick replied knowingly.

"Thank you Baileywick." Roland smiled and made his way to the door leading to the rest of the castle. He wondered about this man, Birk Balthazar. Sofia's father, Miranda's former husband. He didn't know much about the man himself, except that he must have done something horrible to earn such hostility from Miranda. He'd never seen her so angry, so distraught. He must find her quickly.

He pushed open the throne room door and hurried down the corridor. He rounded the first corner and stopped abruptly. "Miranda?" Roland called softly. She was on the floor, facing away from him, leaning her shoulder against the wall.

She sniffed and turned her head. Her eyes were red and puffy. How long has she been crying?

Roland approached her slowly and sat behind her, leaning his back against the wall. She'd turn around when she was ready to speak. He looked at her longingly, but she turned away and sobbed again. It broke his heart to see her in this state. Could she ever be consoled, or did seeing her ex-husband tear her apart just as seeing her sobbing with no sign of resolution in sight did for him?

"Miranda." Roland's eyes filled with sadness as he touched his wife's shoulder. She did not flinch this time. Roland was relieved; there was hope of comforting her. He turned himself so that he was now sitting on his knees, facing her back.

"Miranda?" He urged again, this time softer, trying to coax her to face him as he gently tugged on her shoulder. She slowly turned around but did not look directly at him.

Roland smiled slightly. "There, now I can see your beautiful face." He touched her chin and tilted it up gently. She was silent, her eyes still downcast. They stayed like that for a moment and Miranda finally looked up at him, her eyes swelling with tears once again. "Oh Rollie, I'm so sorry!" Her voice was hoarse and weak.

Roland quickly embraced her, resting his chin on her head. "It's ok," he whispered.

"I'm so sorry... I lied." Her voice was a whisper between her sobs as she cried into his chest.

Roland held her tighter. "Shh, it's ok."

He didn't know what she meant by saying she had lied, but what he did know was that his wife needed him and he was going to comfort her any way he could.

"I have no idea what's going on with you, I don't know what happened in your past, but I do know that I love you, and there's nothing that can change that." He said gently in her ear as he hugged her tighter.

Miranda started to quiet down.

Roland held her away from him to look her in the face. "It doesn't matter who you were or what happened to you before, I will always love you no matter what. I promise."

Miranda looked up at him after a long moment. This time her gaze did not waiver. She searched his eyes and managed a sad smile. He saw in it, her familiar radiance returning. When had it gone? When Birk came into the throne room? Or after she left? Whatever she had lost, regardless, it was returning and Roland was grateful for it.

"Rollie, you always know just what to say." Miranda smiled. Sadness still lurked behind her eyes, but for a moment it was genuine—then it faded. "I think it's time I told you the story about me and Birk," she said with a soft, sad whisper.

"How about we talk somewhere more private than the floor of the corridor," Roland suggested with a smile on his face.

Miranda managed a small chuckle. "Yes," she said, wiping tears from her face. "That's probably a good idea."

Roland stood and offered his hand. Miranda took it and they walked, arm in arm to their chambers.

Miranda leaned on Roland's shoulder and sighed contentedly. She was still emotionally unstable, but one of the reasons she loved Roland was that he was her rock. If she stumbled, he'd be right there to help her regain her balance and help her keep going. It was something Birk had not been able to do, and was only one of the many reasons their marriage failed. Her marriage to Roland was as a marriage should be: built on mutual respect and honesty.

Just as they were coming up on their room, James came running down the corridor.

"James," Roland scolded in his stern, fatherly voice, "no running inside the castle."

James stopped and smiled apologetically. "Sorry Dad." James looked at Miranda, suddenly very concerned. "What's wrong Mom? You look like you've been crying."

Miranda smiled lightly at the boy. Of course he noticed she had been crying, her face was probably still so puffy and red that it looked like a blotchy tomato. He was so much like his father, always caring about others and wanting to comfort them. "I will be alright James," she assured him as she wiped some tears that had almost dried on her cheek. "I just saw something today that made me very upset."

James eyed her suspiciously. Miranda laughed, "I'll be alright, James. I promise." She wanted to talk to Roland before she told James anything else. If there were going to be any changes in the household, they'd tell all the children together.

"Well, ok," said James. "I'll see you guys later, I'm supposed to meet Sofia in the observatory." James turned to leave, but then wheeled back and wrapped his arms around his mother's waist. Miranda hugged him closely to her; he had just recently gotten tall enough so that she didn't need to crouch to hug him, instead his head rested easily on her chest.

"I love you mom," James said, looking back up at her.

"I love you too, James." Miranda smiled, and then released him. James smiled one more time before he turned around and began running down the corridor again.

"James!" Roland called, which was followed by a weak, "no... running."

Miranda giggled. Roland looked down at her and smiled gently, then opened the door to their chambers.


	3. Chapter 3: Birk

**Here we are, learning about the backstory with Miranda and Birk. Hope you enjoy!**

 **Chapter 3: Birk**

Miranda stepped inside, and then went and sat on the bed. She twiddled her hands in her lap as Roland closed the door and came to sit next to her. He put his hand on hers. "Alright Miranda, tell me. What is going on?" He asked quietly.

Miranda breathed deeply. "Birk is... Sofia's father."

Roland didn't say anything; he just kept his compassionate, steady gaze on her. "You knew that already of course," Miranda laughed at herself.

Roland smiled a little and nodded. She breathed another deep breath as she tried to calm herself down. _All right, the whole story Miranda, come on, you can do it_. She sighed inwardly; this was going to be exactly as hard as she thought.

"I met Birk thirteen years ago when I moved with my parents to Friezenburg. My father got a job writing the memoirs of the King." She laughed ironically, "I had almost forgotten that I'd been around royalty regularly before I married you. Although, I didn't live inside the palace. Father, mother and I lived just outside the gates and once every week, the King had dinner with all his staff, so we'd get to go with father.

"No wonder you're such a natural around royals." Roland mused.

Miranda smiled weakly, appreciative of the little jest, and then continued with her story. "I worked with my mother in our shoe shop, mostly running errands and keeping the shop clean. One day, when I was getting groceries, a boy a few years older than me ran into me, knocked me over and stole some of the food I had been carrying. Naturally, I ran after him. Once I had him cornered I was going to demand he give me back my food. But when it came down to it, I just couldn't do it. He was so skinny and we had enough money to buy more food, so I let him have it. He thanked me and promised me he'd pay me back, but then ran away before I could tell him it was no trouble.

"After a few days, the boy came to the shop, as you probably guessed the boy was Birk, and he brought me one flower. 'One flower for each thing you gave me to eat.' He said. I was young and naive, so obviously, I fell for him instantly. Each time he came to give me a flower, I would give him a loaf of bread so that his debt could never be paid in full." Miranda smiled sadly as she remembered how in love they were, it was so innocent, so pure. She sighed, and then continued.

"Fast forward a couple years and we were getting married. My father had passed away so my mother moved back to Enchancia, while I stayed with Birk in Friezenburg. At first, we were doing well for newlyweds. I worked as a shoemaker in my mother's shop and he was a courier, within the Kingdom for the most part. But, then he started carrying messages to other nearby kingdoms, he'd be gone for a couple days, and every once in a while he'd be gone for a week. It didn't seem so bad, for the first three years anyway. But, then as time went on, a trip that would take him a couple days would take a week, and the ones that would take him a week would take three or more. I didn't know it at the time of course, but it was on those trips where he would... indulge himself in other women." Miranda paused and buried her face in her hands. "Ugh, how could I have been so stupid!" Miranda rubbed her face, and then rested her chin in her hands.

"And that was only the beginning of our troubles." She let out an aggravated growl and felt the tears threatening to come back, but these weren't tears of sorrow she had cried in the corridor; these were tears of rage. She didn't realize she would get so worked up as she continued to dig up the old memories and emotions.

"Because Birk started to take so long on his courier duties, he was fired from his job. But _I_ didn't know that until months later. He continued to be gone for days and weeks at a time, and when he _was_ home, he was drunk. And angry. He never actually hit me, but he threatened constantly. He'd tell me _I_ was the reason for his drinking. He told me countless times, that I was worthless, and he didn't know why he married me in the first place. Little did that sick bastard know that HE and his _secret women_ were the cause of his drinking! . . . I'm sorry." Miranda's whole body was shaking as the tears threatened to fall again from her eyes. She took another deep, unsteady breath, held it for a second, and let it out.

"The last year of our marriage, when I found out I was pregnant with Sofia, I gave him an ultimatum. I said, 'either you stop drinking, or I'm leaving.' It almost worked. He was sober for about a week before he drank so much he could barely even stand up. He was in one of his rages again, but this time was different. He had this crazy look in his eye like he was ready to kill anyone who crossed him. I was scared. He was wrecking our house, yelling at me saying that I was a worthless piece of trash. I tried to stay as far away from him as possible. He kept yelling at me, 'why you avoiding me Miranda?' The sick bastard didn't even sound half that clear. I didn't respond to him, which only made him angrier, and more frightening. So, I made my way into the kitchen and grabbed one of the frying pans while he was trying to get up after he tripped over his own feet. He blamed me for thattoo. When he finally was able to get up, he saw my frying pan and said, 'You don't have the guts to hit me. I'm your husband, you wouldn't be anything without me.' I said, 'oh yeah, come and find out you sick drunk.' That about did it. He came at me, ready to strangle me, I'm sure, but I hit him. Hard. I knocked him out. Though, it's not all that hard to knock out a man that's one more sip of mead away from passing out anyway. "

Miranda touched her forehead and paused for a long moment. She laid her hands in her lap and looked at Roland. "Think I'm crazy yet?" she asked dryly. He was gazing at her intently. He had a scowl on, but Miranda knew it wasn't at her, or at least she hoped.

Roland shook his head. "Of course not," he said seriously.

Miranda sighed again and rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, that makes one of us." Miranda slouched and leaned her chin on one of her hands gazing at the floor. There was a long silence. Miranda listened to the birds' faint singing coming from outside. Roland touched her leg. "How did you get to Enchancia?" he asked, breaking the long silence. She took his hand and held it in her lap.

"I moved back here with my mother—lived with her for a while until I could afford to live on my own. She helped me a lot while I was pregnant with Sofia and even up until Sofia was old enough to help me around the shop. Soon after that, my mother fell ill, and she passed away. As for Birk, I never heard from him again. That is, until today."

Miranda stared intently at Roland's hand. She wasn't quite sure what to expect from him, which, wasn't something Miranda was used to. She turned to face him and tried to gauge his reaction. No such luck, the only thing she could gather was that he was thinking, letting the story sink in. She'd wait for him to respond.

He looked at the floor, then at their hands, then at her. "That's the man who came into our throne room today, asking to see our daughter?" Roland's voice was deep and serious. It was a mix of his authoritative dad voice and his…sexy, protective voice. Was this an inappropriate time to be thinking how attractive her husband was? Maybe it was because of all the things that Birk wasn't contrasted so drastically with all that Roland was. She put thoughts of comparing Roland and Birk behind her. She did not want to risk tainting the beautiful memories she had of Rolland, with the dreadful ones of her former husband.

Miranda shrugged. "That's who he was back then, or at least that's what he'd probably say," she replied.

Roland took both of her hands in his. "Whoever this man is now, we need to be careful. We need to see if he's really who he says he is. I won't put my family at risk." Miranda nodded. Roland's brow furrowed deeper as he thought of his solution to the problem. He then faced Miranda again, "Does Sofia know anything about her father?" he asked, somewhat to Miranda's surprise.

"Well, no. She's asked me many times, but I never answered her. I couldn't bring myself to tell her the truth; but I couldn't bring myself to lie to her either." She looked down at the floor, ashamed she just left her child wondering all those years about any semblance of a father.

"Well, whatever you choose to tell her is up to you. Then, if you want, it can just be, you, me, and the whole Royal Guard worried about how this man is going to act around our daughter."

Miranda thought for a moment. "If Sofia doesn't know what happened with me and her father, I'm afraid she might be too trusting of him. She always sees the best in people, and although I'm proud of her for it, I'm afraid she's going to get hurt one day."

Roland sighed. "I know what you mean." He paused, obviously mulling something over in his brain quickly before speaking again. "Assuming you don't tell Sofia the whole story, and she chooses to meet Birk, what say you to having a meeting with him first? Just us two. That way, we can see for ourselves if he's really changed or not and we can decide if he should be allowed to spend time with Sofia."

Miranda nodded gently. "I think that would be the safest thing to do."

In times like these, Roland's kingly ability to make quick, reasonable decisions was most noticeable to Miranda. It was something else that drew her to him. She smiled, and gripped his hand tighter. Roland laced his fingers through hers and brought one hand on the back of her neck and leaned their foreheads together.

"I promise, I will _never_ let anything bad happen to you or Sofia _ever_ again," he said softly. Miranda relaxed and leaned more readily on him. She inhaled his scent, "I love you, Rollie." She sighed. "I couldn't have asked for someone better."

Roland smiled. "And I love you, Miranda. More than you know." He kissed her tenderly, lovingly, melding their lips together for an instant. "Don't you worry. We'll be just fine. We'll keep our children safe."

Miranda kissed him again, this time with more fervor. Roland, the provider and protector of her, and more importantly, her children; it was one of the things Miranda loved most about him, one of the things she relished in. Roland kissed her passionately and treated her tenderly. Miranda didn't know it was possible to feel so many different emotions at the same time. She felt sadness for lying to him, joy for him being so good to her, fear of Birk and what he would do, and disgust and anger for what he had done in the past. All of these things gave her more reason cling tighter to Roland, as he loved her powerfully and tenderly. She relinquished everything to him, and she had never before felt so completely loved.


	4. Chapter 4: Family Matters

**I own nothing. Enjoy the chapter!**

 **Chapter 4: Family Matters**

In the observatory, Sofia was waiting for James. He was supposed to be here by now. He must have gotten distracted in the garden trying to catch a lizard or something. Sofia decided to pass the time by working at one of the desks, coloring a picture of the night sky. Humming happily as she colored, one if the pencils she had been using earlier rolled off of, and underneath the desk. "Oops!" She uttered quietly.

When she crawled under the desk to retrieve her pencil she saw what looked like a gold handle on the floor near the wall. "Huh, I wonder what that could be?" She asked herself. She grabbed her pencil and then gave the handle a small tug. It opened easily enough, but only about half an inch because it was blocked by the desk.

Sofia got out from under the desk and grunted as she pushed the desk out of the way. It was hard to push at first, but it got easier once she got a little momentum going. Once she could see the full outline of the trap door, she stopped and looked down at the door with one eyebrow raised. The door itself was not much smaller than her head and was much too small for any person to get through. "Why would this be covered up by a desk?" She asked herself, puzzling for a second. She then shrugged and bent down to open the door.

Inside, there was a big, dark blue scroll that fit perfectly in the little cubby. Just then, Sofia heard the door to the observatory open. She looked behind her and saw her brother walking in.

"James!" Sofia called, waving excitedly. "Look what I found!" Sofia reached into the floor and pulled with all her might. Out came an enormous, dark blue scroll; it was taller than the young girl—about as tall as her brother—and she struggled to lift it by herself.

"Wow!" James exclaimed as he rushed over to help his sister. "What is this thing?"

"I don't know," grunted Sofia as she hefted the rest of the scroll out of the floor. "But we're going to find out!"

Once James had one end of the scroll and Sofia had the other, they each looked around, "where should we put it?" Asked James.

Sofia thought for a second. "How about over there?" she suggested, gesturing with her head.

James nodded and the two walked a few paces to the most open part of the observatory floor. "Ok, right here is good." Said Sofia.

They dropped the scroll on the ground with a loud thud that echoed throughout the large, dome room. "Maybe we shouldn't have dropped it." Sofia coughed, waving dust out of her face.

James, who was also coughing, nodded in agreement. "Anyway, what is this thing?" He asked curiously.

"There's only one way to find out!" Sofia gave the scroll a mighty push and it unfurled about halfway. James then gave it another push and it unfurled the rest of the way.

The scroll was dark blue and had many white dots that were seemingly arranged in pictures. "Brilliant! It's a star chart!" James exclaimed.

Sofia was a little bit confused, she'd never heard of a star chart before. "What's that?" she asked.

"You know how the stars make up pictures in the night sky?" James pointed to the ceiling. Sofia nodded.

"Well, it's basically a map of all those pictures. It tells us where the stars are so that we can study them when the sun is out." James motioned to one of the astroglyphs. "See, here's Pegasus major, and that one right there is the Snake."

Sofia looked at the giant scroll. "Cool! I've never seen a star chart before, but when I was little, my mom would take me outside at night and tell me stories about the stars and the pictures they made." Sofia smiled at the memory.

James looked at her inquisitively. "What kind of stories?" He asked.

Sofia felt somewhat proud that it was finally someone other than her who was asking the questions. "Well, you see the Pegasus and the Snake? Over here, just above the Snake, you have the Maid. It's said that one day, the Maid was in her garden and she saw the Snake. She was about to kill it when it said 'please don't kill me, I only need some food. If you let me stay near your house, I'll eat all the rats so they don't eat the fruit in your garden.' The Maid said the Snake could stay in her garden, but only if he promised not to go into the barn to eat her chicken eggs, for she needed them to make bread. The Snake promised that he'd only eat the rats, so the Maid trusted him and let him stay. Then, during the night, the Snake went into the barn and was about to eat one of the chicken eggs when the Pegasus saw him and said, 'You promised the Maid you wouldn't eat her chicken eggs.' But the Snake didn't care what the Pegasus said because he was locked in his stable. The Snake opened his mouth to eat one of the eggs when suddenly, the Pegasus flew out of his stable and trampled the Snake because he lied to the Maid and betrayed her trust."

James smiled at his sister. "That's pretty cool Sofia. I have never heard any stories about the stars like that before."

Sofia smiled back at him. "Thanks James." She was glad he liked the story. She was a little worried he would say something to make fun of her. Instead he went on to ask another question.

"Are there any other stories? What about the Dragon and the Knight? I bet there's one about those two!"

Sofia giggled, she hadn't expected her brother to be so excited by the stories she'd heard from her early childhood. "There is a story, James, but it may not be quite what you're expecting," Sofia laughed. She told him the story about the Knight, the Dragon and the Hunter; how the Hunter went out one day looking for food and was attacked by the Dragon who was protecting her babies, but the Hunter apologized and then the Dragon gave him some food she had gathered. Then the Knight, who was concerned about his friend the Hunter, went out looking for him and, not realizing the Dragon was also a friend to the Hunter, killed her, so the Hunter was very angry with the Knight. That was why you never judge someone before you know them.

James listened as Sofia told him more stories about the stars and of the lessons they carried. They talked and laughed until it was time for dinner and Baileywick came to fetch them.

"Sofia, you'll have to tell me more stories about the stars sometime!" James said excitedly.

Sofia giggled as they walked to the dining room together. "Sure thing James! I'm glad you like them so much." She replied happily.

The two walked together, chattering gleefully as they entered the dining room. Roland smiled at his children. "You two seem to be having fun. What did you do today?"

James spoke up before Sofia could. "Dad, it was brilliant! Sofia found this huge star chart in the floor of the observatory!"

Roland looked surprised. "Really? I thought the old star chart had gotten lost. I haven't seen that thing since I was your age. Where did you find it Sofia?" Her dad asked.

"I found a small door on the floor under one of the desks while I was coloring a picture." Sofia explained.

"That's great Sofia!" her Dad smiled at her.

"Thanks Dad," she replied as she picked up her fork to begin eating.

"Oh, and Dad! Sofia was telling me all about the stories that the stars tell! My favorite one was of Jayson and his search for the Golden Silk!" James waved his fork in the air as if he were sword fighting an invisible enemy. Sofia giggled at her brother's antics while Amber just rolled her eyes and sighed.

The family ate their meal, chatting happily for the most part, but Sofia noticed her mother had barely touched her food and it was almost time for dessert. When there was a lull in the conversation, Sofia decided to speak up, "Mom, are you ok? You haven't eaten much."

It seemed like hearing Sofia pulled her out of a trance. Miranda sighed and paused before she spoke. "I won't lie to you Sofia," she said. "I did see something that made me very upset today, but we can talk about it after dinner."

Sofia gave her mother a very concerned look. What could have happened? Why couldn't she tell them now? Suddenly, Sofia didn't have an appetite for dessert. "Um, may I be excused? I'm full," she stated half-heartedly.

Miranda and Roland glanced at each other, then Miranda nodded. "Why don't you go ahead and get ready for bed. I'll be there in a little bit to come and tuck you in," her mother replied. Sofia smiled and nodded, it wasn't every night her mom tucked her in anymore, but she always enjoyed it.

Sofia got down from her chair and made her way to her room. When she got there, Clover was already waiting for her, lying on her bed. "Hey Princess!" he exclaimed when she walked in the room.

"Hi Clover," Sofia managed a small smile for her rabbit friend. Clover looked at her, concerned.

"Whoa, what's wrong Sof? Did something happen?" he asked.

"I don't know. That's the problem. Mom didn't eat much at dinner, and when I asked her what was wrong, she said that something made her really upset today and that she'd talk to me about it later." Sofia plopped on her bed and sat next to the bunny.

"Hmm… well, if she said she'd talk to you about it, there's nothing to worry about right? You'll find out soon." Clover replied with a reassuring smile.

"You're right Clover. You always know what to say." She smiled and patted Clover on the head.

Clover struck a pose. "Well, of course! I am a blue ribbon bunny," he bragged.

Sofia giggled and proceeded to get ready for bed. Clover was right. She had nothing to worry about, everything was going to be fine and Mom would be there soon to tuck her in, so she should just relax.

She kept telling herself things like these, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right. She tried her best to ward it off and climbed into bed just as she heard a knock at her door.

"Come in," she called.

Her mom came into the room and closed the door, softly smiling at Sofia as she did.

"Hi Mom, what did you want to talk about?" Sofia asked; she was done waiting and she wanted to know what was going on.

Miranda walked over and sat on the bed, and stroked Sofia's hair. She let out a solemn sigh and cupped her daughter's face in her hand. Sofia scrunched her lips and puffed out one cheek slightly, unsure of what to make of her mother's actions.

Miranda looked at her daughter and breathed deeply, "Sofia, today…"

Sofia could tell her mom was struggling to say whatever it was she needed to. Miranda turned her body so she was facing her daughter, then took her hands and held them. Sofia was tempted to speak, but she had the feeling that if she did, it would only make it harder for her mom, so she just held her hands and looked at her intently, showing her that she was ready to listen.

"Sofia, today, your father came by the castle. Your _real_ father."

It took a second to register. At first she didn't know what to say, she just stared at her mother, then at the floor. Sofia was stunned. There was a long moment of silence before either of them spoke. It was Miranda who finally broke the pregnant silence.

Miranda sighed and looked away from her daughter. "Your birth father, Birk. The man I was married to before Roland. I know I never told you about him before. Honestly, I hoped I wouldn't have to, especially since I married Roland. After that, I thought I'd never have to because you adopted him as a father just as quickly as he adopted you as a daughter."

Sofia was hurt. All this time her mother had purposefully been keeping the existence of her real father secret from her. How could she do that? This was all so confusing. Her mother had never lied to her before, at least, not that she knew of. Sofia pulled her hands out of her mother's grip and looked away.

Sorrow filled Miranda's eyes as she watched, for the first time, her daughter erect an emotional wall between them. Though she had expected her daughter to react negatively, it was not enough to prepare her for the immediate rejection. "Sofia, I'm so sorry, I just couldn't bare to tell you the truth."

Sofia glared at her mom with scorn. "Well, the truth would have been better than nothing at all, which is what you told me. Didn't you always say that something is still a lie, even if the person never knows about it?"

Miranda closed her eyes and looked down. "I am so sorry Sofia," she said slowly. Sofia saw tears beginning to form in her mother's eyes and almost instantly, Sofia's anger dissipated and was replaced by compassion. She had never seen her mother cry before.

"Would you forgive me if I told you why I didn't want you to know about him?" she pleaded. Sofia waited until her mother looked up at her, and then nodded sadly.

Miranda sighed and wiped a tear from her cheek. "Your father, Birk… was a good man, and a good husband before he started drinking. After a couple years, I found out that I was pregnant with you, so I told him that he needed to stop, or I would leave him." Miranda paused as she drew in a shaky breath. "He was almost able to do it too, but after he slipped up one more time, I had to go. It wasn't going to be safe for you around him. I couldn't bare to tell you because I didn't want you to know the pain that I experienced with him. If I were to ever marry again, I wanted you to have a pure view of a father, but I also couldn't bear to lie to you and tell you he was a good man and make up a story about him losing his life. So whenever you asked me, I froze up and changed the subject." Miranda looked down. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you Sofia, I truly am. I know now that it would have been better for you, knowing you at least had a father before I married Roland. Please forgive me."

Sofia gazed at her lap and thought for a long moment. Even though she understood why her mother kept the news of her father from her until now, but that didn't mean Sofia couldn't be upset about it. "So… you were just trying to protect me." Sofia stated as she looked up at her mother, who looked surprised and relieved. Sofia smiled sadly and touched her mom's shoulder. "I forgive you." She said and then climbed into her mom's lap and hugged her. Miranda held Sofia close to her chest and breathed deeply. Sofia listened to her mom's pounding heart ease as they sat in their embrace.

When they released each other, Sofia remembered the first thing her mother said when she entered her room.

"So what happened when…" Sofia stopped. She wasn't sure what to call the man. Dad? My real dad? Birk? None of them felt quite right. She had never known the man as a dad. King Roland was her dad; this guy was just the man who made it possible for her to be born. She made her decision. "What happened when my real father came to the castle?" she asked finally. It still felt awkward, but it was the best she could come up with.

Miranda sighed lightly. "Well, he… he wants to meet you."

Sofia couldn't pick up any distinct expression on her mom's face. It seemed like there were a bunch of emotions mixed up together, and Sofia couldn't tell them apart. Normally, there would be some indication her mom would give her, a clue about what the right thing to do. But there wasn't anything telling Sofia one way or another.

"Do you think I should meet him?" she asked timidly.

Again, her mom sighed and looked at Sofia. "That is completely up to you. It's been nine, well almost ten years since I've seen your father. He said he's changed, but whether I believe him or not doesn't matter. I don't want what happened between him and me to keep you from him." Miranda smiled. "Besides, you are a better judge of character than I ever was. If he truly has changed, then I think you'll be able to see far better than I would."

It comforted Sofia to know that, whatever she chose, her mother would be ok with it. She smiled, a genuine smile. "Thanks Mom." Sofia thought for a moment. If her real father had truly changed, he deserved a chance to prove himself, right? He needed people to see him for who he is now, not for what he did in the past. Sofia thought back to the events of when Cedric and other sorcerers attempted to take over the kingdoms. Though he had done something awful and arguably unforgivable, Sofia still believed in him, and he was truly repentant for his actions. It was only because Sofia was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and trust him enough that the family was also willing to give him a chance.

"You know what Mom? I think I will meet him," Sofia said resolutely. "It kind of reminds me of Mr. Cedric. Even though he made a huge mistake, we were willing to give him a second chance and ever since then, everything has gotten much better for him."

Miranda smiled. "You were the one who was willing to give him a chance. The rest of us needed some convincing," the queen chuckled. "You really are the best one to give Birk a second chance." Miranda kissed her daughter's forehead and tucked her into bed. "Good night, Sofia." Miranda said, turning off the bedside lantern.

"Good night, Mom." Sofia replied.

"I love you, sweetheart."

"I love you too." Sofia smiled as her mom left the room. Soon, she drifted off into a world of sleep.


	5. Chapter 5: Discovery

**Hello everyone! I'm so glad more and more people are favoriting and following my story! Thank you so much for your support! This chapter is pretty normal in length, but we get to see Amber in the spotlight, yey! Tell me what you think about it, all comments/constructive criticisms are much appreciated. Enjoy!**

Chapter 5: Discovery

Amber waited anxiously for her mother to come and tuck her in. She had to talk to her about what happened this morning. The night before, Amber had been in the throne room and lost one of her earrings so after breakfast, she went to look for it. That was when she heard her mother shout. Mother never shouted, she might have used a stern voice at times, but never, in the year that Amber had known her, had she ever shouted. That is, until this morning.

Amber put down the brush she had been using on her hair and began trying to piece together the puzzle of what happened in the throne room. She could remember seeing a man in a big coat, looking mostly at the floor as he talked to the King and Queen. When Amber was younger, she might have thought that was the way a civilian was supposed to talk to royalty, but this man just looked meager. When you speak to royalty, you must be humble, yet dignified, and this man, sure he looked humble, but there was nothing dignified about him.

Amber got up and began pacing, still pondering about the mysterious man. She heard him say something about hurting the Queen and Princess but wanting to make it right. Who could this man be? She had never seen her before, so the princess he was talking about was probably Sofia. And what did he mean by "make things right," what did he do wrong?

Amber sat on her bed and rested her chin her hand, thinking hard; then it clicked. The man said that he wanted to make amends to the Queen and Princess, but he couldn't have been talking about me, because I have never seen him before in my life, so he must be talking about Sofia. If Mom shouted at him like that, he must have done something really bad, like, bad enough for a wife to leave her husband bad, and if he was Mom's former husband then… that means he has to be Sofia's birth father.

Amber sat up, shocked at her realization. She couldn't move as she let it sink in. She had to be right. Why else would Mom be so mad at him, why else would he be seeking absolution?

She was staring at her door absently when a soft knock sounded.

"Come in," Amber said weakly, still shocked by her discovery.

"Hi sweetheart," Miranda said sweetly as she opened the door, "Ready for bed?"

The shock on Amber's face must still have been apparent because her mom laughed gently and then said, "What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost." Amber shook her head slowly. "You're not feeling feverish are you?" Miranda said as she felt Amber's forehead. Amber shook her head again, this time looking at her mom. She wasn't sure what to say exactly, but she knew she had to confirm her theory. She thought for a second and then decided to go with the direct approach.

"That man in the throne room this morning, he is Sofia's birth father, isn't he?" Amber wasn't really asking a question, she was checking her facts. Her mom looked absolutely shocked. "H-how did you know that?" she sputtered.

"Well, I heard you shout when I was walking by the throne room this morning, so I peeked in. I heard the man you were talking to say something about him wanting to make amends for some transgression he committed against the princess and the queen. Since I had never seen him before, I assumed he meant Sofia, but then he also said the queen, so that's you, obviously, so if you were so mad at him, he must be your former husband and if was your former husband, he must be Sofia's birth father."

Miranda was completely stunned, her jaw was slackened and her eyes were wide with confusion. She was speechless for a moment, but then regained some of her composure. "That's… exactly right… Amber."

Amber wanted to say, 'of course, I'm right, I'm a genius,' but subdued the urge and decided, instead, to ask, "What's going to happen, Mom?"

Her mother sighed and waited a moment before speaking. "Well, Amber, since you were so blunt with me, I'll do the same for you." she paused briefly before continuing, "Sofia decided that she is going to meet him."

Amber was horrified, "What! Why? He's obviously done something terrible! What about us? What about Daddy? Is Sofia still going to be my sister?" This couldn't be happening. She felt faint. Where did all the air in the room go?

"Relax Amber, breathe," her mom said gently putting a hand on her back . "Nothing like that is going to happen. Sofia will not abandon our family. She's just going to get to know another member of hers." Amber started taking slow, deep breaths. She still did not like the distinction of the words 'our' and 'hers.' It made them sound like two separate families.

Miranda obviously saw her daughter's distress. "Maybe, those weren't the right words." She said quickly. She kneeled on the floor so she faced Amber and took her hands. "Think of it this way," she began, "Just because Sofia is going to meet someone new, doesn't mean she's going to forget about us."

Amber nodded, she could breathe more easily now and she was starting to see what her mom was saying. "And just because he is her birth dad, doesn't mean she is going to stop loving her dad here, right?"

Amber nodded again, this time more sure. "Right." She said quietly.

"Good girl," said Miranda, and then kissed Amber on the forehead. Sitting back on the bed, she looked at her daughter intently. "Now, there will be some changes if Sofia continues to spend time with Birk. But it also depends on how honest he is being about having changed since I knew him. But don't worry, if we start seeing any reason Sofia should not be spending time with him, we'll make sure that we put a stop to it."

Amber's breathing had returned to normal and she could actually think before she spoke. "Well, ok, but there's still one thing that's been bugging me." Amber paused briefly. "What did the man mean, when he said he had hurt you and Sofia?" She gazed into her mother's eyes, searching for the answer.

Miranda sighed deeply and bowed her head, "Birk never actually knew Sofia. I left him before she was born because I thought it would be dangerous for her if I stayed."

Amber looked at her mom seriously. "So, if he didn't actually hurt Sofia, he must have hurt you."

There was a long pause before Miranda looked at Amber and patted her leg. "You are one observant girl. You understand so much more than just what you're told."

Amber kept her steady gaze on her mother, knowing she was stalling. Her mom, probably realizing that Amber wasn't going to give up so easily, let out another sigh.

"To tell you the truth, Amber, he hurt my heart more than anything else. And your heart is the most fragile thing about you." Miranda looked down and offered Amber her hand. Amber grasped it and looked knowingly at her mom. She may not have known what exactly was causing the hurt in her mom's heart, but she knew what it was like to have your heart hurt. After all, she had lost her mother when she was young, and although she didn't have many memories of her, she could still feel the sting when something reminded her of the mother she once had. Miranda did a good job of filling her shoes though. She was just as graceful, and just as kind. The best thing about having Miranda as her mom though, was that she was actually there to hug her, and hold her hand, and kiss her good night.

"Well," said Miranda, "It's time for you to go to bed, oh super-observant daughter of mine." Amber obeyed, and crawled under the covers of her opulent princess bed.

"Good night Amber." Miranda leaned down and kissed Amber oh her forehead, turned off her lamp, and made her way to the door.

"Good night Mom." Amber smiled. As Miranda was about to close the door, Amber spoke up, "Mom?" she called. Miranda poked her head back inside.

"Yes, sweetheart?" she replied.

"Thank you… for telling me everything that you did… and, I love you."

A wide, gentle smile spread across her mom's face. "I love you too, Amber. And thank you for listening." With that, she watched her mom slowly disappear behind the closing door.

Amber still thought about all that her mom had told her, about Sofia, about the man in the throne room, what was his name again? Brik? No, Birk. Even though her mom's words gave her some comfort that he wouldn't hurt anyone, she still couldn't suppress this feeling that something just wasn't quite right and she couldn't put her finger on it. Before long, she had done enough thinking and succumbed to a dreamy sleep.


	6. Chapter 6: Doubt

**Hello again! Thank you for all the follows and favorites! I'm glad you are enjoying the story so far and I hope you like this new chapter! Tell me your thoughts, I love reviews!**

Chapter 6: Doubt

As Miranda closed the door to Amber's room, she couldn't stop thinking about how lucky she was to have daughters like Amber and Sofia. It amazed her how easily Sofia could sympathize with people, then forgive them without even a second thought. Another thing that struck her was the fact that, even though Sofia was so young, and seemingly unscarred by the world, she had her fair share of heartache. She grew up without a father for so long, and yet she never let it bring her down. Miranda hoped that Sofia would never lose that ability; it was a part of her that made her stand out from everyone else in the world. She hoped she could be more like Sofia in that respect.

She could also stand to be more like Amber as well; observing all that went on around her and relating it to the people who were there. She still couldn't believe that she deduced, essentially, the whole story of her relationship with Birk from the small bits of information she gleaned from eavesdropping in the throne room. That girl was clever, possibly too clever. If Miranda needed to keep a secret from her, she'd have to be careful what she said around her. As she continued walking, she thought about how tenderhearted Amber was, and though back to when she and Sofia first moved into the castle. Amber was cold and distant then; seeing how differently Amber treated both her and Sofia now touched her heart. They were family.

She went on to James' room and found that he had fallen asleep reading a book about constellations. She smiled, then gently took the book from his small hands and placed it quietly on his nightstand. She brushed back his hair from his forehead and kissed him gently. "Good night my prince." she whispered. She then turned off his bedside lamp and walked slowly out of the room, careful not to wake him.

When she got back to her room, Roland wasn't there yet. He was probably making his own rounds tucking their children in. Miranda undressed and got into a comfortable silk nightgown. After wearing her queen attire for the whole day—well almost the whole day—it was nice to finally be in something she could move freely in. It also helped that the fabric was so light and smooth, it felt like a breath of fresh air. She didn't think she'd ever get used to the feeling of the luxurious fabric; then again, she didn't necessarily want to. She never wanted to forget just how lucky she was, not just to be able to live in a castle like this one, but to be married to the kind and loving king, and to mother his children as if they were her own.

Miranda sat down at her vanity and took out the pins that were holding up her hair. She combed her fingers through her scalp to release the tension that came with having her hair up all day and let out a deep sigh of relief.

As she brushed her hair, she thought about the events of the day and was grateful for her new family. If not for Roland who patiently listened to her, James who showed her love, Sofia who understood her and forgave her, and Amber who—despite what people might think was very intelligent and perceptive—shared her concern. Each one of them was like a loving salve on a newly open wound.

Placing her brush back on her vanity, she looked in the mirror to see her husband leaning against the bedpost watching her. A slightly mischievous thought flashed across her mind.

"Why your Majesty," she gasped melodramatically, putting one hand on her chest, "I do believe I am indecent, perhaps you should leave and come back, so that I can be decently dressed."

Roland smirked playfully and raised an eyebrow. Taking two big steps, he closed the distance between them and pulled his wife into an amorous embrace. "You know what I think? I think that you are indecently dressed, but perhaps I could rectify that by simply removing your clothing now."

"Rollie!" Miranda gasped slapping him playfully on the chest.

"What? I thought that's where this was going!" Roland said confused, but laughing.

"Well, it was" Miranda said rolling her eyes, "but you could have been a little more subtle." she said coyly as she climbed into their bed.

Roland began to undress, "I'll try and remember that next time. Subtle is sexy." he said prolonging the 's' sounds.

Miranda tried to contain her laughter, but failed miserably.

Roland finished undressing and climbed in bed, scooting close to his wife. "You seem to be in a much better mood," he said giving her a quick peck on the lips.

"Well, I do have the perfect support system." She said proudly.

"I'm taking it the talk with Sofia went well?" He asked.

Miranda heaved a contented sigh, "It did. She was really mad at me first, but when I told her my reasons for not telling her about Birk, she understood. She wants to meet him, though."

"Isn't that what you wanted? You wanted her to make the decision all on her own, right?" Roland asked, propping himself up on his elbow.

"Well, yes… uh, I don't know. I'm just not one hundred percent sure I want her around him." She said staring at the ceiling of their canopy bed. There was a brief silence, and then Miranda propped herself up onto her elbow to face her husband. "How do you feel about Sofia seeing her birth father?" she asked.

Roland sighed and draped his free hand over Miranda's waist. "If I were Sofia, I'd want to at least meet my real father. That way, if it turned out badly, at least I could say that I met him."

"Really?" Miranda asked, unsure.

"Well, yes. Even though Sofia calls me 'Dad' and I call her my daughter, I'm still not her real Dad. Heck, I didn't expect her to actually call me 'dad,' ever, really. But I'm delighted that she does, and I'm sure she still will, even if she meets her real father and they have a good time together."

Miranda looked at him quizzically. "You're really all right with this?"

"Like I said before, Miranda; if anything happens and we think that Birk is a threat to Sofia, then we'll stop letting him near her." Roland grabbed his wife's hand. "I know this is a lot harder for you than it is for me, but we at least need to give him a chance to prove himself, don't you think? Nine years is a long time, and people can change."

Miranda held Roland's hand tighter and gave him a small smile, "Sofia said something just like that."

"Great minds do think alike," Roland smirked. Miranda smiled more widely, kissed him and then remembered Amber.

"Speaking of great minds, I had a very enlightening conversation with Amber when I was tucking her in tonight." She said twining her fingers with his.

"Really? What happened?"

"She saw what happened in the throne room this morning." Miranda said slowly.

"Oh," said Roland. "That's um, unexpected."

"Well, she didn't see all of it," Miranda started, "But she did overhear some things. She said she heard me yell, and then she heard Birk say that he—and I'll quote Amber because she put it very articulately—because he wanted to, 'make amends for some transgression he committed against the princess and the queen.' What ten-year-old speaks like that? _I_ barely speak like that in normal conversations; throne room discussions, yes, but not regular conversations."

Roland laughed heartily. "Amber does have a way with words. It's one of the many things she prides herself in." He quieted down after a second and turned his attention back to his wife. "I get the feeling that Amber's vocabulary was not the only thing you wanted to tell me about."

Miranda laughed, "You're almost as perceptive as Amber." The king raised an eyebrow. She smiled, then explained, "see, even though those were the only things she overheard from the conversation, she figured out all by herself that Birk was Sofia's birth father."

Roland looked surprised, thought for a second and then nodded. "Wow."

"Right?" There was a brief silence, then Miranda sighed thoughtfully, "She was extremely concerned about Sofia meeting him because she thought he had hurt her in the past. I told her that I left Birk before Sofia was born because I thought he'd be dangerous to her, but I also told her that he says he's changed and we have to give him a chance, even if it's not the most comfortable thing to do."

"How'd she take it?"

"She freaked out at first, but I think she and I are on the same page. Neither of us is particularly comfortable with him being around, especially with Sofia. We're going to give him a chance, but that doesn't mean we'll let our guard down."

"All three of us are on the same page then." Roland smiled and hugged his wife close to him as he lay down. Miranda relaxed and laid her head on his chest, albeit still deeply troubled by the thought of Birk spending time with her daughter.

"I just can't shake the feeling that something terrible is going to happen." Said Miranda.

Roland was quiet for a second and then said, "Honestly Miranda, it could just be from what he did to you, or it could mean that there really is something we should be concerned about. Either way, Sofia already decided to meet him and it wouldn't be right of us to keep her from her real father."

Miranda resisted the urge to growl in frustration and instead, clenched her jaw and sat up on her arm so she was looking down at Roland. "But what if, by letting her see him, we put her in danger when we know it's a possibility?" Miranda was getting irritated. It seemed like Roland was completely unbothered by the return of her untrustworthy ex-husband; not only that, it felt a little like he was defending him instead of standing with her against the threat.

Roland sighed deeply. "I'm not saying that that's not a concern of mine as well. There are dangerous situations that happen daily, but does that mean we lock our children up and don't let them see the outside world? Now, before you yell at me, cause I can see it in your face, let me tell you this again." Roland sat up and looked her in the eye. Miranda had to clench her jaw to keep herself from saying something she'd regret. Roland had listened to her earlier, now it was her turn to listen.

"I am just as concerned about Sofia getting hurt as you are. But, I know that I'm not her father and I'm doing my best to be supportive of her decision to meet him. You think I don't have a faint feeling of dread letting this stranger, whom I know to have violent tendencies, around my daughter? But we're going to be there with her. We're not going to let him whisk her away to some unknown land. We're going to try and do what's best for our daughter, and right now that's letting her meet her real father. If we take that away from her now, then she might resent us for it and run away to find him; and that's a much higher price to pay than letting her see him now and letting her see for herself what kind of man he is. That way, if he is bad, she'll be able to see it and won't blame us for taking her father away from her."

Miranda softened her face and breathed deeply. "You're right Rollie." She said. "Sorry I got so worked up."

Roland smiled at her and put his thumb on her chin. "It's all right, my love. You were just trying to be a good mother," he said softly, and then kissed her.

As Roland lay back down, Miranda followed suit, laying her head back down on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. She was comforted by the steady rhythm and the knowledge that her husband _was_ on her side. She was just going to have to stay strong and trust that she and her husband were doing what was right for their daughter. Although, there was still that nagging feeling in the back of her mind, that faint sense of dread Roland was talking about. Miranda told herself to calm down and that it was only because of how Birk had broken her heart and made her fear for her life. She tried to quiet her mind and listened to the steady beat of Roland's heart. Slowly but surly she drifted off into the darkness of sleep.

 _The silent darkness swirled like huge ocean waves crashing down and churning up thick, black sand. The sand mixed with the water and turned into hot tar, which soaked up all the dark water and sand until there was nothing but hot, suffocating tar swirling in circles faster and faster. It seemed impossible how fast the tar moved until everything froze. Ice crept along the tar, which cracked as it hardened, and the ice shown through the tar, letting small bits of light show through as the ice continued to pry open the cracks until only ice was left. Suddenly, salt rained down and broke the ice. The salty wind rushed all around, swirling viciously up and down until it crashed onto the ground and made a deep crater in the earth. Lava erupted from the hole and covered the ground with black soot, which brought forth tiny blooming flowers when it kissed the scarred desert. Soon two thick-stalked, tall, white flowers bloomed with five smaller ones surrounding it. The flowers swayed gently in the calm, salt wind for a long moment until a bird began singing_.

Miranda awoke slowly. She turned on her back, laid a hand on her forehead and glanced around her, feeling slightly dubious. What a strange dream, though it was already fading from her memory.

Miranda arched her back and brought her arms up to her head, stretching thoroughly. She turned to her right and saw that her husband had already gotten out of bed. She rubbed her face and then sat up. Today, she would have to face Birk again. She sighed deeply at the thought. It was going to happen whether she liked it or not so decided to try not to work herself up over it. Having made her decision, Miranda got out of bed and began to prepare herself for the day.

 **So, I would like to know what you guys think about Birk. What do you think is going to happen? I have a pretty solid idea of what is going to happen, but I'd love to hear some of what you guys think. Either leave it in a review or private message me, I'd love to hear from you!  
**

 **~Jacque**


	7. Chapter 7: Blackmail

**Hello all! I'm so sorry I have not updated for a while, I've been occupied with school. Luckily for you, this chapter is considerably longer than the others, so hopefully that makes up for at least something. We will be getting an inside look at Birk in this chapter, I hope you all are excited! Let me know what you think about him, give me some of your thoughts about what's going to happen! I love the reviews :)**

 **PLEASE READ: there a a couple foreign words that are thrown in at the end of this chapter. If anyone reading this speaks Russian, I'd love love love your input. I tried my best to make the words I chose sound authentic, but vernacular is tricky.**

 **Lapushka~dear Mal'chik=boy do svidaniya=goodbye**

 **ENJOY!**

Chapter 7: Blackmail

Sofia awoke the next morning feeling refreshed and ready for the day. She was up early, even before Clover got up to greet her, so she sat at her vanity and began brushing her hair. She wasn't sure why, but she felt like something was going to happen today, something big. It would be a good day today! However, there was something else about today that made her nervous. Wait, why was she nervous? What was there to be nervous about? Was there a test she forgot about? No, they just had a test last week. What could it be? Then she remembered her discussion with her mom. The thought of meeting her real father made her excited, but nervous at the same time.

Just then, out of the corner of her eye she saw her grey, lop eared friend climb out of the hole in her wall. "You're up early, Princess." Clover yawned as he hopped over to Sofia. She giggled as she patted Clover's velvety head. Clover just smiled at her sleepily, "How'd your talk with your mom go?"

"Well, it wasn't quite what I expected." Sofia laughed nervously.

Clover eyed her, "What is that supposed to mean?" he asked confused.

"Well," Sofia wasn't sure how to continue, so she was quiet for a long moment, searching for the right words.

"Come on, Sofia! I can tell something's going on, just tell me." Clover said sounding slightly offended.

"Ok! It's just…" Sofia sighed and thought for a second. Where should she even start? This wasn't the kind of news you went about casually. Sofia shook off her feelings of uncertainty and decided to be frank with her furry friend. "My real dad came to the castle yesterday and I'm going to be able to meet him soon." Sofia looked at Clover expectantly awaiting his reaction.

Clover stared blankly for a moment, and then shook his head apparently regaining his composure. "But I thought you said you didn't have a dad before King Roland."

"Well, yeah. I just didn't know about him until now."

Clover paused briefly, letting the news soak in. "So, your dad's come back after all this time... that's good. But why did he wait so long to do it?"

Sofia puzzled a bit at the question, "Well, my mom said she left him before I was born because he had a drinking problem and she was afraid he would be too dangerous for me." she said.

Clover looked skeptically at her, "Dangerous? Are you sure you should meet this guy?" he asked.

"My mom said that he's changed and that he needs a chance to prove himself, so that's what I'm going to do. It's just like when Lucinda needed someone to give her a chance." Sofia said confidently.

Clover didn't seem convinced, "Well, ok. If you're sure Sofia, but something smells fishy to me. If you need me, I'll make sure I'm right there for you."

Sofia smiled, "Thanks Clover," she said. Just then, a soft knock sounded at Sofia's door. "Sofia?" it was her mother.

"I'll see you later, Princess." Said Clover as he bounded back into the hole in the wall.

"Come in, Mom." Sofia replied.

Miranda slowly came in the door with a melancholy smile on her face.

"Your father will be here soon." She said slowly.

Sofia gasped lightly and sat up a little straighter. Wait, she was going to meet her father today? She hadn't expected it to be so soon. What would he be like? Would he be nice? Of course he'd be nice. Father's were nice, right? Roland sure was, and Roland had become Sofia's father figure. Sofia had never been sacred to meet someone new before; yet she was now, and the uncertainty in her mom's demeanor wasn't helping.

"You don't want me to see him." Sofia said sadly, her eyes downcast.

Miranda kneeled, touched her daughter's shoulders and fixed a steady gaze on her. Sofia thought she saw tears starting to form in her mother's eyes. "You don't have to worry about what I want. Whatever happened between me and your father," she sighed and glanced at the floor, then continued shakily, "He's changed since I knew him, and you're the only one who's going to be able to give him the second chance he needs. Okay?" Miranda put a hand on Sofia's cheek and smiled. "Roland and I will be right beside you. Now, get dressed and come down to breakfast."

Sofia nodded and her mother kissed her on the cheek. As Miranda left the room, Sofia saw her wipe away a tear from her eye. Letting the man who she was once afraid of around her daughter must have been one of the hardest things her mother could do, and it hurt Sofia to see her in so much pain. Maybe once she saw that Birk had changed, it wouldn't be so hard. Then again, Sofia hadn't even met him yet, so how could she be so sure he had actually changed? But... she hadn't met him yet, so how could she know if he didn't change? Sofia put the doubtful thoughts behind her and began getting ready. There was no use worrying about it now; it would only make things harder.

Birk was surprised when he got his summons to the palace the morning after he asked to see Sofia. He had not expected Miranda to get back to him so soon, and with such royal flare, _"On this day, your presence is requested by King Roland II and Queen Miranda in the Royal Courtyard at ten o'clock in the morning."_ It was stamped with the King's insignia.

Birk walked through the village, reading the summons over again and then looked at his pocket watch. "Good, only 9:30. I should have plenty of time to get to the palace," he mumbled to himself. Birk looked back at the letter and discovered that the sweat from his palms had soaked through the thin parchment. He frowned and tucked the paper into his jacket as he wiped his hands on his coat. His hands always used to sweat at the thought of being around Miranda, her steady gaze and lithe body used to make him go weak in the knees. Now it sent a chill down his spine, causing a cold sweat tainted with a sense of guilt and dread. He figured this meeting was probably with the King and Queen themselves, an interview of sorts, to question him. He didn't blame them either. If some other man came to him and his wife, asking to spend time with one of their children, he'd be skeptical too. Maybe skeptical was too casual a term. He'd be downright hostile.

But, Sofia wasn't King Roland's daughter, she was his daughter, maybe offspring would be the better word. He wouldn't have been much of a father to her even if Miranda did stay. Birk sighed and buried himself deeper into his trench coat. Who was he kidding? It was a miracle he was even being summoned back to the palace. What chance did he actually have of seeing his first-born daughter at all? Well, if this was the kind of meeting Birk thought it was going to be, then maybe he'd actually have a chance of proving to Miranda that he had truly changed.

As Birk approached the castle, a guard stopped him at the gate.

"Halt, state your name and business." Stated the guard firmly.

"Birk Balthazar, I've been summoned by the King and Queen." Birk pulled out his letter and showed it to the guard who glanced over it.

"Very well then," said the guard, and then he opened the gate. "To get to the Royal Courtyard, go past the bridge, then bear left and you shall reach the courtyard."

"Thank you sir," said Birk as he bowed lightly to the guard, and then walked through the gate.

Even though Birk had been to the palace just yesterday, it still struck him with awe as he walked across the extensive bridge and through the majestic topiaries to get to the Courtyard. In the middle, there was a huge fountain where some swans were preening themselves.

Birk walked to a small table and sat down, pulling out his pocket watch. "9:58. Two minutes to spare." He mumbled. It would be just enough time to collect his thoughts and calm down before the Miranda, or the Queen got here. Birk breathed deeply and wiped his palms on his jacket again. Maybe if he left his coat at the inn he wouldn't be so sweaty—though, it wasn't really the heat that was making him sweat.

He massaged his neck and shoulders to ease his tense muscles, though it did little else except make them hurt more. Pulling out his pocket watch, 9:59. He then groaned as another sharp pain pinched his neck. He instinctively pushed on the sore spot with two fingers. "I shouldn't have tried to massage it in the first place." He grumbled to himself hanging his head low to try and stretch the sore muscle.

Faint footsteps sounded on the grass. Birk wrenched his head up and stood erect as he saw the King and Queen enter the courtyard with their uptight steward and two royal guards.

"Presenting your Royal Highnesses, King Roland II and Queen Miranda." Announced the gray haired stiff. Birk bowed low and counted to three in his head before straightening again to face the royal couple. He regretted it instantly. Even though Miranda did not show much expression on her face, she appeared to seethe at his very presence. Birk tried hard to swallow the lump in his throat, and then reminded himself to breathe. It was suffocating to have another person, let alone the Queen of an entire Kingdom, who also happened to be his ex-wife toss so much hatred toward him.

"Baileywick, please. There is no need for that here. Please, sit down Mr. Balthazar." Said the King calmly. Birk obeyed immediately. The King and Queen came and sat down at the table with him.

"Baileywick, would you be so kind as to bring us some tea and crumpets?" asked the King graciously.

"Of course, your Majesty," replied the steward who bowed and then made a swift exit.

Roland turned his attention back to Birk. "It's all right Mr. Balthazar, this is just a friendly meeting to get to know you better. With you being absent from Sofia's life until now, I'm sure you understand our reservations."

King Roland had kind eyes and a reasonable countenance, if Miranda didn't believe Birk's testimony at first, maybe this man would be able to convince her that he wasn't the same man she knew years ago. Birk relaxed a bit. At least this man wasn't boiling over, sending every ounce of hatred that was in his being like Miranda seemed to be.

"I completely understand, your Majesties. If my wife had an ex-husband that suddenly appeared after so many years, I'd have a lot more than reservations." Birk tried to smile, but it came out like a twisted look of confusion and fear.

Miranda's face suddenly softened ever so slightly, just enough so that she didn't look like she hated him quite as much. "Your wife?" she asked plainly.

"Well, yes. I remarried about four years ago. Although, she wouldn't marry me until I had been sober for a year." He answered honestly trying to break the tension.

Miranda's expression barely changed, but Birk could tell she was surprised; it was the way her left eyebrow twitched ever so slightly that if he blinked, he would have missed it. Maybe she would be willing to get to know the new him.

There was a long, awkward silence. Birk felt heat creeping back up to his neck and he anxiously wiped his palms on his trench coat again. Miranda looked like she was about to say something, but then the tall, lanky steward returned with a rolling table full of tea and crumpets.

"Here you are, your Majesties, Mr. Balthazar. Enjoy." Said the steward.

"Thank you Baileywick." Replied King Roland. Baileywick served the trio quickly and then promptly disappeared. There was another brief silence.

"Well, feel free to dig in." Said the King.

"Thank you your Majesty." Birk replied, and then began cutting his bread to put butter on it.

"So, you said you re-married," said the King reaching for the butter. "Pray tell, how did you meet your wife?"

Birk had just taken a bite of bread, so he chewed and swallowed as fast as he could. "Well, to be completely honest, it was just a couple of months after Miranda left me. I was devastated, so the only way I knew how to cope with anything was to drink. Anya found me one day passed out on the street, took me into her barn and threw cold water on me. She said that I came through her garden the night before and uprooted most of her vegetables and herbs; told me that I needed to work for her to repay the damage that I'd done. I wasn't much of a gardener, so I mostly took care of the animals.

"She did a really good job of keeping me sober for the month it took me to repay my debt. I never saw any of the money I made for her, rightfully so, but she kept me fed and out of the taverns until she helped me get a job working for her brother, Viktor as a blacksmith.

"We saw each other occasionally, and I started developing feelings for her after about a year or so. She would shoot down all my advances, mostly because I was still drinking, not to the excess that I did before, but still drinking. She told me that she wouldn't even consider me a match for her unless I could be sober for one whole year. So, I bet her one date with me that I could do it. She took my bet, thinking I'd never be able to do it. But in the end, I won—I've been sober since then—and the one date turned into two years worth of courtship until we got married four years ago and moved to Ledstrana. Now we have a beautiful daughter who is just about to turn four and a little boy who just turned a year old." Sadness crossed Birk's eyes. "Although, I haven't seen any of them for a couple of weeks on account of my trip here."

Miranda had been listening intently to Birk's story. Birk felt her eyes boring into his as she searched them. "What are your children's names?" she asked slowly.

Birk smiled at her. "Anastassia and Ian." he replied. She just looked at him, a small smile touching the corner of her mouth. Instead of radiating hate, Birk now felt a sense of comfortable neutrality coming from his ex-wife.

"You said you now live in Ledstrana. What do you do for work there?" asked Roland chiming in.

"Work is somewhat difficult to find. Mostly I do odd jobs: smithing when there's extra work, construction on new buildings when the need arises, washing people's carriages, anything I can get my hands on really. Anya works her garden and we sell her herbs and vegetables. We don't have much, but we get by."

Roland smiled painfully, probably not able to comprehend the idea of not having...stuff.

Miranda's gaze softened even more. "It's nice to know that you're doing good for yourself, Birk." She said gently.

Birk smiled widely, "Me doing good? Look at you, you're married to a King!" he laughed.

Miranda managed an amused smile. "Indeed." She said looking at her husband fondly.

There was another silence among the adults, this time it was more due to the fact that they were all drinking their tea and eating their bread contentedly. After a moment, Birk decided to speak up.

"Mira… Queen Miranda. I am truly sorry for what I did to you in the past. Part of me wishes it didn't end that way, but hey, if you hadn't left my drunken arse when you did, you might not be here in this palace, and I might not have two other children of my own that I've been lucky enough to father." Birk paused and gazed into Miranda's eyes. "If you would be so gracious and allow me at least some time to get to know my daughter, I would be exceedingly grateful."

Miranda lowered her teacup from her mouth and held it in front of her as she gazed at it silently. Birk regarded her expectantly and noticed that King Roland was doing the same. It seemed like they both were waiting for the same thing: for Miranda to give Birk her blessing to meet Sofia. Roland gently laid a hand on Miranda's forearm; she looked at him, then back at her plate, then back at him and sighed. She then turned her attention to Birk.

"It appears I was wrong about you Birk. You really have changed, and I'm sure Sofia will be glad to meet you." She smiled at him, the same genuine, gentle smile he remembered all those years ago when she gave him the food he stole from her.

Tears started to form in Birk's eyes. "You, you really mean it? I-I can meet her?"

Miranda merely nodded, but it was enough to send Birk over the edge. "Oh, Miranda, thank you!" he managed to squeak out as he wept silently into his hands. He felt a large hand come touch his back. When he was done crying and wiping his tears, he looked up to see Roland regarding him kindly with reddening eyes.

"Those are the tears of a repentant man and a true father if I ever saw them. Now, what do you say we you get cleaned up to go meet your daughter?" he said offering him a hand.

Birk smiled widely trying to suppress his sobs again and took the King's hand. "Thank you, y-your Majesty."

"Please, call me Roland."

"Uhh, ok your Majesty, I mean… Roland." Said Birk awkwardly as he grasped the King's hand. It felt so weird coming from Birk's mouth. He had never expected Miranda's new husband to be this welcoming or understanding.

Roland led Birk to a nearby well just outside the courtyard from which he drew water and gave the bucket to Birk. Birk gladly took it and drank some before rinsing his face.

"I'm glad Miranda was able to open up to you seeing Sofia. I guess you could call it father's intuition; part of me knew yesterday we had nothing to fear from you."

Birk laughed lightly, "yeah? What about the other part?"

"I was ready to support Miranda in whatever decision she made." The King smiled.

"You're a good man, Roland." Said Birk as he splashed his face once more with water. It still felt weird calling him by his first name.

Birk dried his face on his coat and looked at Roland, "She deserves you."

The King chuckled. "Well, most of the time, I just try my hardest to do what's best for her and our family, even if she sends me death glares about it occasionally."

It was obvious what he was referring to. "She didn't even want to see me again, did she?" asked Birk.

"No, but I can tell she's glad we did. And I know Sofia will be happy to to meet you." He replied.

"Are you sure about that?" asked Birk solemnly.

"Positive. She might have been a little nervous at first, but to tell you the truth, I think she was more nervous about how Miranda was acting rather than meeting you."

Birk sighed, "the way Miranda was glowering at me was be enough to make anyone feel uncomfortable."

Roland patted his back, "You'll be just fine Birk. I believe you're genuine and Miranda does too, even if she's not ready to admit it."

Birk smiled weakly, "Thanks."

Roland nodded and stepped back. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go with my wife to get Sofia. We're going to meet in the throne room in one hour. Feel free to explore the grounds, then find one of the guards; they can escort you so you don't get lost on your way there."

Birk was slightly shocked. "Wait, I'm going to meet Sofia now?"

Roland chuckled, "Well, in an hour, yes"

Birk just nodded, completely dumbfounded.

"See you in the throne room." Said Roland.

Birk watched as the King walked away, still in shock. He was actually going to meet his daughter today. He remembered seeing her picture in the newspaper at her coronation. She was beautiful! That was a year ago. How much had she grown? Suddenly, Birk was jolted out of his thoughts by the sound of his pocket watch buzzing. Startled at first, he fumbled for the watch and then cursed under his breath. That's right, he hadn't originally come here on his own accord. Vasilia sent him.

Birk glanced from side to side to make sure no one was around to see him, and then popped open the watch. Vasilia's broad, angular face appeared on the clock face, her dark brown hair done up in a braid that acted as a headband while the rest of it cascaded down her shoulder.

"Birk, lapushka, I hope you haven't gone all soft and forgotten the real reason you are in Enchancia." Vasilia purred.

"No… of course not." Birk replied disdainfully.

"Good. I'd hate to have to stop giving your precious family their rations while you're away."

"No!" Birk growled through clenched teeth. An image of his wife and two children sitting in a dark cell came up on the watch. "I'll get you the amulet. I just need time. I need to build their trust so that I might be able to get it to you without losing my firstborn daughter."

Vasilia's smug face returned to the clock. "Oh, Birk, tsk, tsk, tsk. Are you really going to value the daughter from the woman who left you, over the one who needs you to get home as soon as possible so that your children won't starve?" she said sardonically.

Her tone was maddening! He scowled, clenching the watch in his hand and let out a growl.

"Oh, you really must be more cooperative, or your family will pay the price." She said with a wicked smile.

There was no point in fighting her when she held his family hostage. All he needed to do was get one measly amulet. How hard could it be? Birk drew in a sharp breath, "Yes. My Queen." He said defeated.

"Good little mal'chik. Now, since you have seen the error of your ways, I will keep your family in good health for one month. After that, I will have to start decreasing their rations by half each week that you are gone so you have the right motivation to bring me what I desire. Are we clear?"

Birk nodded gravely, "Yes, your Majesty."

"Very good. Now, do svidaniya; I trust you won't disappoint me." With that, her face vanished in a puff of smoke.

Birk snapped the watch shut. "Damn it!" he said as he kicked the grass, and then touched a hand to his forehead. "One month." He sighed. "I have got to figure out a way to get the amulet without letting anyone know so that I can still come and see Sofia." Birk thought for a moment, "I guess I have one month to figure something out. Until then, I'm going to do things right."

 **There you go! Review! Tell me what you like, what you think could be better, thoughts on characters, I welcome constructive criticism! Thank you all for reading! I think I'll try and start updating every two weeks for those of you who are following. Thank you so much!**


	8. Chapter 8: Union

**Finally! The next chapter! Sorry it took me so long! I was in school, then for a while, my internet browser wasn't letting me update my story, so I finally got it all figured out. I have more chapters written then I have published and I'm hoping to finish this story by the end of this month, which may be a little ambitious, but I'll do my best to keep updating. Thank you all for favoriting and following! You guys are the reason I am still able to write this story! Please leave a review whether you liked it or didn't like it, I want to hear your thoughts! Enjoy!**

Chapter 8: Union

When Sofia got breakfast, neither of her parents was there.

"Hey Amber, where are Mom and Dad?" she asked as she sat next to her sister who was at the table, patiently waiting. James was sitting across from her already eating his breakfast.

"I don't know. It's not like them to be late for breakfast." Amber replied.

Just then, Baileywick came up beside the two princesses. "The King and Queen will not be at breakfast today. They requested you eat without them and said they would see you all at lunch." The steward explained.

Amber and Sofia shared a suspicious glance, then looked back at Baileywick. "Did they say anything else?" Sofia asked. "It's not like them to miss a family meal."

"I'm sorry Princess, but I am not at liberty to say." He replied walking away. The girls looked at one another with growing concern. "What do you think they could be doing that they couldn't tell us about?" asked Amber, her voice tainted with panic.

"I don't know." Shrugged Sofia. "But I'm sure everything will be just fine." She said, trying to calm her sister.

"I don't know Sofia, I have a bad feeling. Something isn't right."

"Relax, Amber." Said James with his mouth full of pancakes. "Mom and Dad are probably just taking care of some royal business that we don't need to worry about."

Sofia nodded in agreement with her brother even though she, too, was concerned. She scrunched her face, wondering what could possibly be going on that their parents weren't able to tell them. Mom did say something earlier about Birk coming soon, but why would they keep it so secret, unless they hadn't told Amber and James yet and they were just waiting? Sofia did her best to shake off the funny feeling and turned to Amber.

"Don't worry Amber. They'll tell us sooner or later. Everything is fine, I'm sure." Said Sofia with a smile.

Amber didn't seem convinced. She eyed Sofia curiously for a second, and then sighed. "You're probably right. They did say they'd see us at lunch, so let's just eat and try not to worry about it."

"That's the spirit, Amber!" said James, taking another bite. The sisters just smirked at each other and proceeded to eat their breakfast in comfortable silence.

After breakfast, Sofia changed into her riding clothes and then went to the kitchen to pick up some carrots for Minimus. She hadn't talked to him since the day before yesterday and figured she could use another friend's opinion on what was going on.

As she brushed his coat, she told the purple pony all that had happened, including how her parents skipped breakfast that morning. He didn't provide much advice at first, but it was comforting just to have someone listen to her as she voiced her feelings and concerns.

"I'm just not sure what to do." Sofia said facing her equine friend. "I mean, I really want to meet my dad, my real dad, but it seems to make Mom really uncomfortable and I don't want to disappoint her." Sofia sat down on an upside down bucket and propped her chin in her hands.

"Well, didn't your mom say that she didn't want you worrying about what happened with him before?" Minimus asked.

Sofia looked down and scrunched her face in uncertainty, "Well, yeah, but…"

"Then I wouldn't worry about it so much, and that's saying a lot coming from me. If there were a real problem, she would tell you not to meet him. Besides, isn't he coming soon anyway?"

Sofia looked up at him, "I guess so." She said quietly.

"I don't see the harm in at least meeting him. I mean, everyone deserves a chance, right?"

Sofia sighed, the previous conversation with her mother was finally starting to sing in. If her mom said not to worry, then she shouldn't worry. It was just like the trolls, and Lucinda; everyone else was so afraid of them, but they didn't mean any harm and just needed a chance to redeem themselves. "You're right, Minimus." She got up and stroked his nose. "I think I'm ready to meet him, now." She said with resolve.

"Princess Sofia?" came Baileywick's voice in the distance.

"Oh, I've got to go Minimus. I'll see you later, and thank you." Said Sofia, patting her pony's head one last time.

"Any time, Princess." Said Minimus, smiling.

Sofia rushed over to Baileywick, who was just outside the stables.

"There you are Princess, it's lunch time and everyone is waiting for you in the dining hall." The steward said matter-of-factly.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Baileywick. I guess I lost track of time." Sofia replied.

"It's quite all right, Princess. Now let's get to the dining room." He said as he put a hand on her back, ushering her toward the castle.

James was eager to get to lunch. After breakfast, he walked Rex, practiced fencing, and then went to work for Sir Finnegan. He polished every piece of armour, sharpened every sword, including the new one he had to pick up, groomed Sir Finnegan's two horses, and carried all of the gear while the knight engaged in a friendly duel with Sir Bartleby.

Despite his aching muscles, James lightly jogged to the castle. All of the long hours he put into training himself in so many different princely pursuits were paying off. He could feel his muscles getting stronger; the armor that he could hardly lift a few months ago was easy to move and he was noticing that his clothes were fitting just a little tighter around his arms and legs, but a little looser around his waist. James smirked to himself as he continued jogging until he came into the dining room. Before long, he'd have to get a whole new wardrobe to fit his changing body.

James was surprised and disappointed that he was the first one to arrive in the dining hall. That meant he had to wait until the whole family was there to eat. James' stomach growled loudly in protest. He frowned and put a hand on it, "I know, it's not fair." He said. Wasn't there some saying about whoever got to the food first got to eat? What was it? Oh yeah, 'the early bird gets the worm.' "Tsk, so much for being early." James plopped down at his chair and rested his head in his hand. At least he was able to sit down and rest.

James hadn't even realized he dozed off when the sound of the dining hall door opening jolted him awake. Amber entered followed closely by their mom and dad.

"Thank goodness!" James exclaimed. "Now we can eat!"

"Not so fast, James. We still have to wait for Sofia." His father replied sternly.

"Awe man!" James huffed and plopped his head back on his hands. "I'm starving." He mumbled.

Miranda chuckled lightly as she sat down next to her son, "Now James, I'm sure you could stand to wait one more minute for Sofia." She said gently. Just then, James' stomach roared in hunger.

Miranda looked at him with slight surprise and sympathy. "Then again, Rollie, what's the harm in letting him have one bread roll before Sofia gets here?"

James' eyes lit up as he looked pleadingly from his mother to his father. Roland stern face melted as he sighed lightly. "I guess one couldn't hurt. But only one."

"Thanks Dad!" James exclaimed. He snatched up one of the puffy, white rolls and took a bite, savoring the sweet buttery flavor. Dad and Amber chatted; James assumed she was probably complaining because he was eating when their whole family wasn't present. He didn't care, he was just glad to finally have some food in his stomach.

James was swallowing his last bite of bread when Sofia arrived wearing her riding outfit.

"Sorry I kept you all waiting." She said apologetically.

"It's alright, sweetheart," said Miranda. "We're just glad you're here; and I'm sure James's stomach is too." She chuckled.

James grinned up at his mom, "it sure is!"

The family chatted idly about the day. James talked excitedly about all he had done for Sir Finnegan and how he could feel his clothes getting tighter. His mom smiled and said they would probably have to get James new clothes every month at the rate he was growing.

Just as everyone was finishing their meals, James noticed a change in his mom's countenance. Her face darkened and she let out a heavy sigh. James tensed. The way she looked reminded him of yesterday when he saw her in the corridor. She had been crying. James had never seen her so upset.

"Sofia, Amber, James, there's something your father and I have been meaning to tell you." She said seriously. The siblings shared an apprehensive glance.

"Is this about what upset you yesterday, Mom?" James asked.

"Well, yes, James. But I want you all to know that everything is ok and there is no reason to be concerned."

James nodded, diffidently. He wasn't entirely sure what to make of his mom's most recent behavior. Miranda sighed as if preparing herself, "Yesterday, Sofia's birth father came to the castle and asked us if he could meet her and get to know her." She breathed deeply again. "Sofia has already said that she wants to meet him and I want you two to know that everything is going to be fine. It might be a little difficult to get used to at first, but Sofia has a right to know her father and we shouldn't try to stop her." Miranda looked at Amber, who looked down at the table.

James was slightly confused as a plethora of questions invaded his mind. Sofia's birth father? He was alive? James always assumed he had died just like his mother had, and never really thought to ask about it. Why hadn't they heard of him until now? And why didn't Sofia and Amber seemed just as surprised at this news like he was? Did they already know about him? Why was he the last to know? And would they try and stop Sofia from seeing him? If James suddenly found out his mother returned, he wouldn't want anyone telling him he couldn't see her. The questions clouded James's mind, making it impossible to make sense of the situation.

There was a brief pause and James took the opportunity ask the latest question that popped into his mind. "Wait, I'm confused. Why would we try and stop Sofia from meeting her dad?" He asked.

Miranda looked at him and smiled weakly. "There is no reason to, James. I just need some time to get used to the idea."

James furrowed his brows. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"I just haven't seen or heard from him in a long, long time and it... surprised me is all."

James wasn't convinced, and felt slightly indignant. Neither of his sisters was questioning this. That must mean they must know more than he did. "That doesn't make sense. Why would you say we shouldn't try and stop her, unless there's a reason we should?"

"James!" Amber scolded. James shot her a scowl.

"It's alright, Amber. I didn't have a chance to talk to James yet. He was asleep when I went to tuck him in last night. He's just concerned." Said Miranda gently, and then continued.

"Sofia's father, Birk, and I didn't have as good a relationship like your father and I do; he... he did something that made me unable to trust him, so before Sofia was born, I left him and moved to Enchancia." Miranda sighed, "I never thought I'd see, or hear from him again, so when he came here yesterday it... it scared me. But we have no reason to be afraid now. He's—a good man, and he's changed a lot from when I knew him." There was slight hesitation in her voice, it seemed almost as if she was trying to convince herself of the words, rather than the three siblings.

The family sat for a moment in silence. James pondered as he let the news sink in. "So, are we going to be able to meet him?" he asked.

"Of course." Roland replied. "In fact, he's already here."

Amber and Sofia responded almost at the same time, "What!" Amber shrieked, "really?" Sofia asked excitedly.

"Yes." Said Roland matter-of-factly, "Actually, he's probably in the throne room already, waiting to meet us."

"But Daddy, we can't trust him! He hurt Mother!" Amber protested.

"Amber, please, calm down." Miranda said gesturing to her. "Your father and I met with him this morning and he believes Birk poses no danger to our family, and that he's a changed man. He wants another chance, and we should give it to him." James couldn't help but notice that she said that Dad believed he wasn't dangerous, that didn't necessarily mean she believed it.

Amber scowled at her lap. Sofia glanced at her and then turned back to their parents. "So that's where you were at breakfast. Why didn't you tell us?" she asked.

James was curious too, and paid close attention to his parents. "We didn't want to tell you all until we knew for sure that we could trust Birk." Said Miranda.

Sofia furrowed her eyebrows obviously upset about something, but James couldn't figure out exactly what. "Sofia, I'm sorry we didn't tell you before, we just had to be sure."

Sofia's scowl remained, "So what, you just weren't going to let me see him if you didn't trust him?"

Miranda's brows furrowed sadly, "Sofia, if we didn't think he was trustworthy, we would continue to try and get to know him until we could be sure he wouldn't hurt you. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I just didn't want to get your hopes up before we knew."

Sofia scrunched her face and folded her arms. She was silent for a long time, thinking. James glanced back and forth from his sister, to his mom who looked tense, barely even breathing. Sofia then relaxed her expression and released her arms. "Ok." She said slowly. "I guess I should thank you for that since now I get to see him for sure." She managed a small smile.

Miranda sighed in relief and smiled.

James scanned each family member. It was odd; the family seemed so divided on the subject. Mom was clearly still apprehensive about Birk, although she wasn't vehemently against the idea of trusting him like Amber was. That wasn't that unbelievable though, Amber hated the idea of trusting most new people, especially new family members. Dad didn't seem concerned at all, when he had said that Birk was already in the throne room, it seemed like he was talking about an old friend; and Sofia was upset at Mom, but was still excited to meet her real dad. James didn't blame her, of course. In fact, he wasn't quite sure what to make of the situation. He was conflicted. Part of him was with his mom, unsure of whether or not to trust this new guy; a small part wanted to side with Amber and could see how anyone who hurt their mom or any other member of their family shouldn't be trusted so easily. Then there was the last part of him that was genuinely happy for Sofia. He thought it was great that she was able to meet her dad. James's and Amber's mother died when they were still very young, and even though James didn't really know her, he still loved her and would leap at the chance to see her again.

"So," said Roland, breaking James out of his thought. "Are you all ready to go and meet him?"

Sofia nodded excitedly; Amber pulled out her fan and covered her mouth expressing her disdain with a contemptuous look.

James just half-smiled and shrugged slightly, "We have to give him a chance, right?"

Roland beamed at his son, "Exactly. Let's go to the throne room." He said victoriously.

The family walked to the throne room, seemingly, in order of approval of this new man, Birk. Roland was walking quickly, with Sofia almost skipping to keep pace with him. James and Miranda were in the middle, walking calmly while Amber was slowly bringing up the rear, fan in hand and wearing her signature smug look.

When they got there, there was a man wearing a tan trench coat walking up to the thrones. He looked startled when he saw the whole royal family walk out.

Roland walked up to him reaching out to shake his hand. "Birk, nice to see you again. Meet the rest of the family."

Sofia had been running to greet him, but then suddenly stopped before she reached Roland. She played with her hands as she slowly approached the stranger.

Birk crouched so he could be eye-level with her, tears forming at his eyes. "Hello Princess." He said with a broad grin.

Sofia couldn't help but smile shyly. "You're my dad. You can call me Sofia." She continued walking toward him until they stood face to face.

"Sofia." He said slowly, shakily, as his eyes swelled with tears. "You're so beautiful!" he choked.

Sofia took a step closer to him and touched his rough check with her small hand.

There was a brief pause between the two before they took each other in a warm embrace.

A tear fell from Miranda's eye as she watched.

Amber had dropped her fan and now gazed at her sister and this stranger in their wholehearted embrace. It was as if they had known each other before, and were being reunited.

The two parted, and gazed at each other before Sofia sniffed and wiped her own tears. "So, what do I call you?" She asked timidly.

Birk looked at her hesitantly. "Well, I was hoping, Dad?"

Sofia sniffed again, "Well, I already call Roland, Dad." She put her hand on her chin and was quiet for a moment. "How about Papa." She said grinning.

Birk heaved a sob. "Yeah." He choked. "I'd like that."

Sofia laughed quietly, and the two joined and held each other for a brief moment.

James smiled as tears threatened to form in his eyes as well. Sofia then turned around and motioned for him to come over.

"Papa, this is my brother, James." She said gesturing to him. Birk held out a hand to him and James grasped it firmly.

"James. A very kingly name." Said Birk. James grinned at him.

Amber was watching skeptically when Sofia turned and waved at her. She approached slowly holding her fan with both hands in front of her.

"And this is my sister, Amber." Said Sofia holding out a hand.

Birk bowed his head as the dubious girl approached. She curtsied in response.

"Princess Amber. It is a pleasure to meet you." He said with a smile.

Amber raised an eyebrow, "And you as well." She replied curtly.

Finally, Miranda approached Birk and regarded him politely. He rose, and then bowed to her. "Queen Miranda. You are ever so graceful to grant my request. Thank you so much."

"Birk, you may drop the formalities. I believe you have earned that privilege." She took one step closer to him, and sighed. "You may have been a good liar before, but there's no way you could have faked what I just saw. You proved me wrong, and if you and Sofia want to spend time together, I won't stand in your way." She smiled and looked down at Sofia whose eyes were bright with excitement.

Sofia grabbed her mom's hand jumping up and down, "Thank you, thank you, thank you Mom!"

Miranda laughed as he daughter twirled her around in circles. When they stopped, Roland smiled and stepped forward. "Sofia, would you like to show your father around the castle grounds?"

Sofia's eyes brightened even more and she nodded vigorously. "Come on, Papa!" She exclaimed grabbing his hand and dragging him with her. She then stopped and turned around to face her siblings. "James, Amber, do you want to come?" she called.

"Sure!" James laughed as he ran to catch up with them.

Amber smiled defeated; her smug look wiped away by her sister's joy. "Yes, I'm coming." She said as she followed after them.

Miranda watched as the quartet exited the throne room, Sofia and Birk laughing as they did. She smiled and leaned against Roland's shoulder. "This is going to work out much better than I thought it would." She sighed.

Roland chuckled as he put his arm around her. "Yes, my love. I believe you are right."


	9. Chapter 9: Papa

**New chapter! Enjoy! See, I told you guys I had more written then I had published ;)**

Chapter 9: Papa

Sofia dragged her Papa around the castle with James and Amber following close behind. They showed him their favorite spots in the castle and told him all about what they had to offer. Amber led them to the observatory, explaining all the intricacies of the telescope and how she discovered a star with her signature air of overconfidence, a splash of sass.

James led them to the armory and spoke excitedly about all the different suites of armor, also including the types of strategic fighting one could use while in the suit. Sofia appreciated her brother's openness to sharing his life with Birk. She knew it was a lot to ask for—trusting this stranger—but if Sofia was being honest, she didn't feel he was a stranger at all. It was odd; it felt as if he had always been in her life. She thought she could remember him playing dolls with her as her mom prepared dinner. She thought that, when she hugged him, or grabbed his hand, the sensation felt familiar, as if she had felt it many times before. However, it was only her imagination, she had never felt it before. He wasn't there during her childhood in the shoe shop. He had never played dolls with her, or boosted her up on his shoulders to see the village parade. He never picked her up when she fell, or rock her back to sleep after a bad dream... He had never been given the option.

Sofia turned her attention to the floor just as James was motioning to another suit of armor. She scowled and clenched her small fists, feeling the resentment she was still secretly harboring toward her mother for keeping her father a secret.

"Sofia," came Amber's concerned voice. "Are you ok?"

Sofia shook her head, trying to ward off the negative emotions, then looked at her sister. "Uh, yeah." She lied.

Amber's eyebrows furrowed in disbelief.

Sofia softened her expression, "I'll be fine, Amber. It's just a lot to take in, meeting my papa and all."

Her sister flashed her one last concerned look taking her hand, and then glanced at James who was just putting a sword he had been showing Birk away.

"James, Mr. Balthazar," said Amber whipping her fan out. "Why don't we start heading to dinner. We don't want to be late."

"Good idea Amber. I'm starving." Said James smiling.

The four of them walked out of the building, Sofia holding her papa's hand. She was still somewhat distressed from her thoughts earlier. Just then, she had an idea.

"Amber, James, you two go on ahead. I want to show my papa one last thing before dinner."

James let out an exasperated sigh. "Awe, that means we won't be able to eat until you two get back!" He groaned.

Amber rolled her eyes, "James, is food really all you think about?"

James shot his sister an indignant scowl. Sofia just smiled. "Don't worry, James. We won't be long." She said happily as she took Birk's hand and led him toward the gardens.

About the time they were out of earshot of Amber and James, Birk spoke up. "So, where are you taking me, Sofia?" He asked.

"You'll see." She said grinning at him.

As they walked, Sofia led her papa toward a shrub with a yellow ribbon tied to it. She pushed the leaves back to reveal a small door and held it open, gesturing for Birk to go ahead of her. He bowed deeply, "Why thank you Princess."

For a brief second, Sofia almost wanted to remind him not to call her Princess, but this time when he used the term, she could tell it was more of a term of endearment, not her royal title. She smiled and curtsied politely to him. "Not at all, my good sir."

Birk chuckled as he stepped through the door and into the garden. Sofia followed him in and dashed ahead of him. "Welcome to my secret garden!" She exclaimed holding her hands out in the air and spinning once around. When she faced him, she giggled. The look on his face was pure awe, eyes wide and jaw slightly ajar, gazing at the vivid flowers and flittering butterflies.

"You like it?" She asked, folding her hands at her chest.

"Like it? It's beautiful!" Birk said astonished.

A butterfly flitted by Sofia's face. She followed it with her eyes until she turned around and sat down on the spongy, green grass. She caressed the ground and watched the blades of grass spring back up after her hand passed over them.

"This is my favorite place in the whole castle." She said softly. "Sometimes, I like to have tea parties with my friends here. But other times, I just like to come and sit in the grass, and smell the flowers, and watch the butterflies. It's so peaceful."

Birk sat next to his daughter and rested his elbows on his knees. "Yes. It is. I can see why you wanted to show me."

Sofia was still staring at the grass, but she could see Birk out of the corner of her eye. He regarded her warmly, and Sofia felt the familiar pang of sudden sadness for the years she and her father lost.

"Papa?" Sofia she asked hesitantly as she turned her gaze to him. He was no longer looking at her. Instead, he watched the butterflies; the look in his eye was serene, content. She figured the question she wanted to ask was sure to make that look disappear, but she just had to know. "How come Mom never gave you the chance to see me?"

At first, he just looked shocked, but then sure enough, the gleam in his eyes faded as he bowed his head looking at the ground.

"Sofia." He said sorrowfully, "I wasn't always a good man…" He paused briefly and then sighed. "I did and said many things that hurt your mother and…" his voice began to shake and tears formed in his eyes. "And s-she was right to do what she did. I was—a danger to the both of you."

Sofia watched him silently for a long moment. She couldn't imagine how this man, who seemed so gentle and kind could have ever been anything else, even though she had only known him for one afternoon. She furrowed her eyebrows, slightly agitated. "But why?" she asked seriously. "It's not fair! You're not dangerous."

Birk looked at her with sad understanding. "Not now, no. But it was my fault your mom took you away. Your mother isn't to blame."

"She didn't even tell me you existed until yesterday!" Sofia yelled and slapped the ground. She had spent long enough pretending she was ok, not knowing about her father since her early childhood. It wasn't ok, and she was furious at her mother. Sure she said that she had forgiven her, but she just couldn't let it go completely. She sighed forcefully, scowling and hugging her knees to her chest.

Birk bowed his head and was silent for a moment. "Sofia. You can't blame your mother for what she did. It doesn't surprise me she never told you about me, it was probably too painful for her."

Sofia's scowl deepened and hot tears began flowing from her eyes. "She could have tried!" she yelled, then sobbed into her knees.

She felt a hand on her back, "You're right. She could have." Birk said slowly. He was quiet for a long time, stroking her back. Sofia's sobs eased at his soothing touch. It was comforting to know that he agreed with her. Up until now, she felt guilty for holding a grudge, but now she was given the reassurance she needed that her emotions were not just part of her own selfishness.

"But your mother is not a perfect person, and neither am I. Sometimes people do stupid things that can hurt the people they love because they're afraid. Your mother did the best she could without someone to help raise you. Even though you are angry with her for not telling you, she thought it was the best thing to do. And honestly, I think I agree with her to some extent. Like I said before, I wasn't a good man when your mother left. I was drunk and mean and angry at myself, so all the bad things I thought about myself, I blamed on her. I hurt her very deeply. I didn't deserve to know you, and you were too precious to know all the bad things I did.

"Your mom did what she thought was right. It's ok to be upset, but you have to remember that she did it because she loves you. But now we can put all of it behind us and enjoy the time we have been given. We can make memories together. I can't tell you how sorry I am for not being a father to you when you needed me, but I can tell you, that if your mom hadn't done what she did, you wouldn't be living in this amazing castle with your new family." He smiled.

Sofia stared at her father and managed a weak smile back at him. It's true that if he had been her dad before, she wouldn't know Amber or James or Roland, her new dad. "I guess that's one way to look at it." She said finally.

Birk chuckled, "That's the only way to look at it." He said matter-of-factly.

Sofia breathed a laugh. "I guess you're right, Papa." She then felt very guilty for her earlier, unknowingly false forgiveness of her mother and bowed her head shamefully.

"What is it?" Birk asked inquisitively.

"I feel awful. I told mom I had forgiven her, but I was still angry about it. I lied."

"Give yourself some time, Sofia. And know that your mother was doing the best she could. She only did it because she loves you so much." He replied knowingly.

Sofia turned to him and nodded. He then stood up and offered her a hand. She took it and he led her through the garden door. After she covered it back up with the shrub, the two walked in comfortable silence to the dining room.

When they got there, each dish was covered to keep it warm and there was one more place setting than normal. Sofia ran to her mom and jumped up to hug her neck.

"Oh! Hi Sofia," she said surprised, hugging her daughter back.

"I love you, Mom. Thank you for letting me meet Papa." Sofia whispered in her ear.

Miranda just smiled and hugged Sofia closer to her. The two parted after a brief moment and then Sofia turned and smiled at Birk.

"Well, I guess I'll be going." Said Birk.

"Don't be silly!" Roland bellowed. "We've set a place for you. Please, join us for dinner."

Birk's eye widened in surprise while Sofia's brightened as she turned to Roland and grasped his arm. "Really Dad?" she asked excitedly.

"Of course. He's practically family." He said with gusto.

Sofia squealed in excitement. "Papa, there is a seat for you next to me!"

Normally, Sofia would sit adjacent to Roland, but Amber had taken that place so that Sofia sat in between her and Birk. Sofia jumped up and sat in her chair as Birk slowly took his seat.

"Now, let's eat!" James exclaimed. Roland chuckled. "Yes, James. Well said."

All at once, the servants uncovered all of the plates and the family, with the new addition, ate and talked contentedly. There was only the occasional awkward silence, which normally involved Miranda and Birk, but for the most part, the conversation recovered quickly, mostly due to the intervention of James or Sofia.

After dinner, the royal family bid Birk farewell and retired for the evening. Everyone, save for Amber slept peacefully. She kept having a dream about a massive, black bird swooping down on the castle and flying away in a snowstorm with Sofia in its talons. Each time she woke up, she would try and calm herself down, and go back to sleep, but she kept on waking up with the same horrid vision, and it kept her up most of the night.


	10. Chapter 10: A Kindness

**Hello everyone! I am SO SO SO sorry this has taken me FOREVER to post! I hope you will read and enjoy. I am done with school after next week, so the chapters will be posted more regularly after that! I'd like to thank those who have helped me with this story and help keep me motivated to write it, even if I cannot update on a regular basis!  
I digress. Onto the story that you all have waited so patiently for! **

Chapter 10: A Kindness

In the weeks following the dinner with the Royal family, Birk spent most of his afternoons with Sofia. He'd go to the castle each day after she got home from school and they would talk about her day, play games, and have tea parties; there was even a day they even raced on the obstacle course. Sofia beat him handily of course, but they shared a good laugh. They spent a lot of time in Sofia's secret garden; it was there Birk told her about his family in Ledstrana. She was so excited to learn about her other half-siblings, although she never thought of them that way. To her they were her brother and sister as much as Amber and James were, even though she had had no blood relation to Roland's children.

A few days after that, Birk knew he needed to start figuring out how to get Sofia's amulet. He felt like a tar pit even thinking about it, wreaking with guilt and sticky enough to trap any whom came near.

Vasilia appeared to him at the end of the second week as he was heading home from the castle. Birk was walking in the quiet night through the deserted streets on his way back to the inn.

His pocket watch buzzed violently. Birk jumped and fumbled for it in his inner coat pocket. He dashed into an alleyway and opened it, a small bead of sweat forming on his brow. Even though there was no one around, he wanted to be sure no one heard or saw his conversation. The witch's head appeared on the face of the clock, looking very cross.

"Birk!" She spat. "I know that I said I would give you a month before I start starving your family, but it seems to me that you have completely forgotten about them with all your gallivanting about with your precious Princess." Vasilia rested a long, slender finger on her cheek. "Hmm, perhaps I should just kill them now, it doesn't seem like it'd make much of a difference for you."

Birk gritted his teeth. "You witch! You can't kill them, you need me to get that stupid amulet for you!"

Vasilia laughed maniacally, "You think I _need_ you? Oh, that is very, how do you say? Cute. You know I could easily get the amulet by myself. But I choose to indulge myself with the pleasure of watching you suffer while you deceive your precious Printsessa." A crooked smile crept onto her face. "Or there are other ways of motivation. Oh, it would be fun to slice into the soft flesh of Anya." she paused briefly. "But don't worry, I'd spare your children. They'd get a front row seat. Yes, that would be good. Don't you think so? Oh, they could live out the rest of their lives with their precious minds plagued by the exhibition. That is, if I could wait long enough for them to starve." She let out a throaty chuckle. "Oh, but don't worry lapushka, at least you will have your new family."

Her face vanished in a cloud of black smoke from the clock face. Birk clenched his jaw, tears dripping from his eyes. He knew she wouldn't hesitate to follow through with her threats. She wouldn't even give him a warning. No, wait. This was his warning. For all he knew, he could return to Ledstrana tomorrow with the amulet in hand and find his wife slaughtered! Birk tried to calm down. She was crazy, but not reckless. Despite what she said about not needing Birk, he knew she would rather not dirty her hands unnecessarily. Despite her despicable tendencies, she was still a woman of her word, and she hadn't said anything about reducing his time frame. Although, Birk figured that if she didn't see some perceptible progress in getting the amulet, she would not hesitate to follow through with her threats immediately.

He had to act now, but how? He still wished to secure the amulet while keeping his relationship with Sofia intact. With her compassion, could it be possible that telling the truth would convince Sofia to give him the amulet willingly? "No, that's just stupid." Birk said to himself. "But what if I…" _Maybe I could ask Sofia to go to Ledstrana with me for a few days. That way, Vasilia would think I'm making a plan, and I could make sure she has not gone back on her word_. "That might just work… I'd just need to convince Miranda." Birk paused for a moment. "Right now, this is my only shot. I'll ask Sofia tomorrow, then maybe she can talk to her mom." Birk let out a groan. _No, that's just too backwards. Talk to Miranda first. She'll say no, more than likely, but it's the right thing to do._ Birk chuckled. _Yeah, the right thing, that's a laugh._ The sensation of hot tar leaking out of his gut crippled him and he clutched his stomach. The pain was only unbearable for a moment though before the heat died down and instead, just felt like thick, black goo floating around in his stomach. He walked slowly, hauling the weight of his guilt back to the inn where he was staying.

The inn was fairly small, but it was warm and comfortable. It had a small tavern on the ground floor with a few small paintings and one deer head adorning the walls. There were also small lanterns placed on each table and a small furnace that kept the building heated. As Birk walked through the door, the kind, young waitress greeted him in her thick accent. "Well hello there again Mr. Mystery!"

"Mr. Mystery?" Birk asked confused, "Marjorie, I told you my name. It's Birk."

"Oh, I'm not talking about that." She said playfully. "How was your trip to the castle today?"

Birk opened his mouth to answer, but remembered that he hadn't told anyone in town about his business at the castle. "How did you know I was at the castle?" he asked incredulously.

Marjorie grinned slapping the towel she had been using on the counter. "I knew it! There were some rumors floating around town about a mysterious man in a trench coat going to the castle every day. Since you're the only stranger I know who wears a trench coat around here, I thought it must be you." She smirked and rested her elbows on the bar as she gave her curly, blonde locks a toss.

Birk scratched his head and smiled half-heartedly. "I guess I should have seen that coming, huh?" There was a brief silence between the two as the waitress gave him a playfully suspicious smirk. Birk still stood in the doorway of the inn feeling caught in Marjorie's stare. Birk somewhat shrank into his coat shoving his hands deep into his pockets.

"So! Birk." Said Marjorie suddenly, bouncing back upright. "Ye must have some pretty important business there at the castle to be going every day since ye got here." She came around the bar and leaned on one of the stools crossing her arms.

"Uh, yeah." Was all Birk could muster.

Marjorie's grin widened, "Really? What kind of business, if ye dinnae mind me asking?"

Birk thought for a second. He definitely didn't want to tell anyone the true reason why he was here. It would just cause a scene and make things extremely complicated for Miranda, which would most likely cause her to permanently push him out of her life. And that wasn't even including his mission from Vasilia.

"Just here on diplomatic relations." He said trying to sound casual.

Marjorie raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms in thought for a second. "Then why are ye staying in a ratty old inn like ours?" she asked.

Birk glanced all around the inn, "I think you and I have different ideas of 'ratty." He said.

"It's ratty compared to the castle." She replied, her voice tinted with sass. Birk glanced around the tavern again, mostly trying to avoid Marjorie's gaze. "Don't diplomats normally go hand in hand with royalty?" she said eyeing him suspiciously.

Birk frowned, cursing inwardly for his shoddy excuse. Just then Marjorie's face lit up.

"Ye must be undercover!" She said snapping her fingers.

Birk still didn't know what to do; he just stared at her wide-eyed. In a way, he was undercover, and he did have a secret no one else could know; a horrifying secret. The hot tar began bubbling up in his stomach again.

Marjorie slouched onto the bar and then sighed. "Ah, nevermind. That cannae be it. A spy winnae let me think he was a spy."

Birk breathed an unintentionally audible sigh and the heat began to recede. She turned her head sharply at him. "But just cause you're a spy, disnae mean ye have nothing to hide." She said raising an eyebrow once again.

There was a brief pause. Something about the way this young girl was prying him for secrets, rather rudely, finally snapped him out of his stupor. Maybe it was his fatherly instincts kicking in again. Whatever it was, Birk was grateful to be able to think and speak coherently again. He raised his eyebrows. "Everyone has their secrets." He said nonchalantly. "It's normally courteous not to draw too much attention to them." He took a step forward, side-smiling at the girl. Marjorie blushed slightly.

Birk chuckled. "It's alright, Marjorie. Next time, maybe don't pay so much attention to the rumors around town. You're bound to get yourself in trouble one day."

There was a brief silence. The girl smiled, but then knit her eyebrows together thoughtfully. "Pardon me for prying again, but I have to know. Ye are the man that goes to the castle everyday though, right?"

Birk sighed. "I guess since the whole village knows, there's no point in lying. Yes, I am."

Marjorie's eyes lit up. "I knew it!"

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be retiring for the night." Said Birk sidestepping the waitress to go up the stairs.

"Oh, alright. Goodnight Mr. Balthazar. Or perhaps I should call ye Sir Balthazar?" she giggled.

Birk turned his head and raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm definitely not a knight. Nice try though." He gave her one last smile before turning around and walking up the staircase.

His room was on the end of the hallway. In regards to an inn, the room was moderately sized. It had a double bed that seemed too large, especially for one person, a wooden nightstand, a writing desk, and a worn armchair in the far corner. However, the size of it was something Birk was not accustomed to, it was still large compared to his meager home. If he were to put all of these objects in his Anya's room, there would be no room for them to walk.

Birk undressed and settled into the bed, hugging one of the extra pillows, hoping it would help ease the ache he felt for his wife and children. It didn't, but Birk, nevertheless, quickly drifted off to sleep.

Despite the warmth of the inn's furnace and abundant blankets on the bed, Birk awoke the same way he had since he left Ledstrana, too tired and missing the familiar warmth beside him. He also had an extremely strange dream; he didn't remember much of it. He really only remembered black tar, a collision, and a flash of some flowers at the end; he also remembered the feeling of hopelessness, release, and then joy the dream evoked, but even those were fading fast.

He rubbed his sleepy eyes as he looked at the clock on the wall. It was five in the morning. Birk groaned. _Damn_.

He spent most of the morning trying to regain the sleep he had lost to no avail. He would toss and turn, and just when he was about to fall asleep, a horrifying thought would scream in his mind and he would be jolted out of his sleepy stupor. After about three hours of trying to get back to sleep, Birk decided to dress and go downstairs to eat.

Marjorie was at the counter taking guests' orders. When she saw Birk, she grinned at him, "Good morning! Here for some breakfast are ye?" asked Marjorie cheerily.

"Just some tea please." Birk replied, his voice rather hoarse from not getting enough sleep. Marjorie smiled at him before she disappeared behind a curtain that lead to the kitchen.

As Birk waited for the girl to return, he busied himself by watching her brother who hustled about the inn bringing plates of bread and butter to each table. The breakfast in Enchancia was not much different than in Ledstrana with its breads and tea, but Birk missed the small rolls Anya often made called pirozhkis. They were fried dough, filled with deliciously seasoned vegetables, and on occasion, meat and cheese when they could afford such luxuries. Birk's mouth started to water at the thought.

Marjorie returned and placed a teacup in front of him. Birk looked up at her and smiled, "Thank you." he said. She returned the smile and brought a plate that had a small golden-brown roll on it.

"I made ye something special. It might not be as good as you remember, but I figured ye could use something to remind ye of home." she said kindly as she set it down next to his tea.

Birk stared at the roll wide-eyed. "Th-thank you."

Marjorie flashed him a wide grin before she left to take orders from the other guests who were still arriving for their complimentary meal.

Birk turned his attention back to the bun in front of him. He pulled it closer and inhaled its scent. He could already tell, from the way the dough was rolled, that it was an imitation, but he was grateful for it. He brought it to his lips and inhaled again, this time he was surprised to smell the meat that was inside. His eyes widened, "She really went all out." He said quietly to himself.

He took his first bite, and to his surprise, gooey cheese dripped both onto his chin and plate from the opposite side of the roll. Birk hummed in satisfaction. It definitely was not how he remembered Anya making them, and the dough did not taste the same, but it was delicious. He had never had a pirozhki filled to overflowing with gooey cheese and such juicy meat. If he and Anya could ever afford so much to fill each one with this much meat and cheese, he'd have to tell her to make them like this, at least for the childrem.

Birk ate his meal slowly, enjoying his tea and savoring every bite of the Enchancian pirozhki. Marjorie came up to him when he had just taken a bite, "How do ye like it?" she asked, gazing at him expectantly.

Birk just smiled wide and nodded emphatically.

"Oh good! I wasnae sure if I stuffed it too much."

Birk finished chewing and then swallowed, "It's a little messier than normal, but it's delicious!" he said as some meat juice dripped onto his hand.

"Oh! I'll go get ye a napkin." She said and then hurried off.

By the time she returned, Birk had just put the last bite in his mouth and was licking his fingers. She set the cloth down next to him and leaned on the counter. "So, how did my peeroshki compare?"

Her pronunciation of the word was awkward at best, but Birk smiled and used the napkin to wipe his hands. "It was unlike any I've ever had, but it was delicious. It made my morning. Thank you, Marjorie."

"You're welcome!" Marjorie beamed. She then leaned closer to Birk, and taking his plate, lowered her voice. "So, are ye off to the castle again the day?"

Birk breathed a laugh. "There's no point in lying to you now, is there?"

Marjorie smirked and shook her head.

Birk smirked back at her. "In that case, yes, I am. But I can't go until So… until the afternoon." He was so close to saying, 'until Sofia gets out of school.' It was a strange sensation; it almost felt normal to be so candid about his daughter, as if he really were her regular old dad. It also felt strange how Marjorie was sort of a part of this new normalcy. He had had many conversations with her. It was during one of them, he told her about his family and the pirozhkis. It unnerved him that he had disclosed so much private information to this young girl. He suspected that if he kept it up, he was bound to reveal the identity of his first daughter sooner or later. Birk heaved a heavy sigh and looked down at his empty tea cup.

"What's wrong?" Marjorie asked.

"Nothing. I have to go now." Said Birk curtly. He swiftly stood up and put a small silver coin on the table. "Thank you for the pirozhki." He managed a meager smile as he turned to leave.

Birk imagined her looking at his back with a mixture of confusion and hurt as he walked out of the inn, but he refused to even glance at her. He had gotten too comfortable here, revealed too much. He had a job to do and he couldn't risk getting anyone else involved.

Birk went just outside the village, where there no one would disturb him and spent the rest of his free day thinking of how he was going to convince Miranda to let Sofia go with him to Ledstrana. When he had fully formulated his plan, it was almost noon, so he decided to head to the castle and speak with Miranda. Birk got up from under the tree he had been lounging under for the past few hours and dusted himself off. Even if she was as stubborn as ever, Birk was confident she would say yes to his proposal, and if she didn't, she'd end up changing her mind when Sofia asked her the same question. He hoped.


	11. Chapter 11: Proposition

**Hello All you lovely readers! Thank you so much for all of you who have favorited/followed/reviewed my story! I know I have been seriously slacking on my updates, but I do intend to finish this story! If not for me, then for you guys because, even after all these months, I still get emails saying that someone new has either followed or favorited this story, and for that I am grateful! I will try my best to finish this story this year so that I can finally start writing some other things. Thank you all who have been there since the beginning, I hope y'all are still around. If you are, PLEASE leave me a review and tell me what you like about the story. I'm also up for suggestions on how Vasilia will eventually make herself known, I have an idea (obviously) but I'd love to hear what some of y'all have to say. So if you have any thoughts, ANY THOUGHTS at all, please PM me.  
Again thank you so much for sticking with me, and for those who are just joining us, thank you too! Please leave a review! Tell me what you like, or don't like! I would love to hear my readers. ENJOY!**

 **Chapter 11: Proposition**

The castle was bustling with activity when Birk arrived. Servants, decorators, and cooks were scurrying about cleaning and transporting decorations, ingredients, and other miscellaneous items that were covered with large white sheets. Birk had come to know the main corridors of the castle fairly well due to spending time with Sofia, but with all the extra people and miscellaneous tables, decorations, and cleaning supplies, he was discombobulated. Right before he thought for sure he was lost, Birk spotted the gray-haired steward directing a group of flower arrangers to another area.

"Excuse me, Baileywick?" Birk asked stepping up to the man.

"Mr. Balthazar? What brings you here? I don't have you on the schedule to arrive until Sofia gets out of school." Baileywick asked cordially.

"What's going on here?" Birk asked.

"We just started preparing for The Tri-Kingdom Founder's Festival. It takes place every four years and alternates between the three kingdoms. Last time, it was hosted in Kaldune, and this year it is here in Enchancia. All the Kingdoms come together to celebrate the alliance our kingdoms have formed. It is quite an ordeal. The whole Kingdom plays a part in the festivities, and the Queen has taken it upon herself to oversee all the preparation here in the castle."

"Oh, wow! No wonder there is such a hubbub." Said Birk surprised. "Speaking of the Queen, do you have any idea where I would find her?"

Baileywick glanced at his pocket watch. "She is most likely in the Ball room overseeing the decorations right now."

"Ah, thank you." Said Birk. He was just about to walk away, but the crowd of people disoriented him once again. "Could you kindly point me in that direction?" he smiled.

"Go down this hall, then turn right, at the very end, the doors will be in the third corridor on the left." The steward waved his hand in the direction he had indicated and then checked his pocket watch again. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to see how the kitchen staff is doing on their supplies."

"Wow, you sure do have a full plate, don't you?" Birk smirked at his unintentional pun.

"Indeed. There is much work to be done and little time to do it. I don't mean to be rude, but I really must go now. Good day Mr. Balthazar."

Birk grimaced, slightly indignant at the fact that his perfectly good pun was wasted on such a stiff. "That guy needs a vacation." Birk said to himself.

"Tell me about it." One of the maids replied in a thick accent.

Birk chuckled, "He really doesn't get out much, does he?"

"Not unless it's related to serving the King and Queen." She sighed. "But he only works so hard because he truly wants to help their Majesties. He also cares deeply for the children; he'd do most anything for the family." The petite woman smiled warmly.

"Hm." Birk returned the smile and then looked back at Baileywick who was just turning a corner. Birk was about to say something else to the woman who had spoken to him, but when he turned around again, she was already on her way to dust another exquisite vase. Birk shrugged and thought through the directions Baileywick had given him once more before heading in the direction of the Ball Room.

The Ball Room was just as chaotic as all the corridors Birk trekked through to get there. Massive ladders and tables full of decorations littered the landscape. It didn't take him too long to spot Miranda in her queenly attire. He sucked in a deep breath and approached her clearing his throat.

"Queen Miranda?" he said timidly.

She turned to face him, surprise apparent on her face. "Birk? Sofia doesn't get out of school for another couple hours or so. What are you doing here?"

"I actually wanted to speak with you, if you would allow it."

Miranda's brow furrowed slightly, "oh." She said hesitantly.

"Would it be possible for us to talk somewhere more private?"

She quickly glanced around the room, "Just a moment. Let me tell Gwen that I'll be stepping out for a moment."

Birk nodded. Miranda walked over to a young woman who was fiddling with some sort of contraption. She spoke briefly to her. The young girl glanced at him and then nodded at the queen, but her expression was unreadable. Birk scrunched his face and puffed out one cheek in indignant embarrassment. It was no doubt the whole castle knew exactly who he was and how the queen felt about him. A few seconds later, Miranda made her way back over to Birk.

"Follow me." She said looking past him. Birk followed, but there was still a twinge in his heart every time she treated him coldly. He still couldn't blame her, but he couldn't help the way he felt.

She led him through the noisy corridors, gracefully sidestepping any obstacles in her way. Birk on the other hand, was not as nimble and bumped into many rolling tables, almost knocking a couple of them and an expensive vase over. Soon enough, they came to a relatively quiet hallway with only two maids dusting the paintings on the walls. She opened a large door and stepped inside, motioning for him to follow.

He was astonished when he saw that the room they were in was a bedroom. His jaw slackened. "Is this your room?" he asked in amazement.

"Yes." Miranda answered through tight lips. "Now, what was it you wanted to talk about?"

Birk shook himself out of his daze and cleared his throat. "Right. Um. I was wondering if I could—if Sofia wanted to—if you would allow her to—come with me. Only for a couple days! To Ledstrana." Birk watched her closely, watching for any indication of what she might say so that he could prepare his next words carefully.

She was caught off guard. Her brow furrowed, but not out of anger. She was trying to make sense of his request. She puzzled silently for a few moments. Her brow furrowed deeper and she crossed her arms. Looking down, her eyes darted around pensively. After a couple more seconds, she sighed deeply and walked over to the enormous bed and sat. This could either be something really good, or really bad. Miranda clenched her jaw and put a hand on her forehead and squeezed her temples. Definitely bad.

"What do you want me to say Birk? 'Of course! Go right ahead! You're her father after all!" She laughed sarcastically.

Birk felt her words like a stab in his gut. "I know. I'm sorry. I—I just… I know how you must still distrust me. Honestly…you're right to." The image of Vasilia invaded his mind and he clenched his eyes shut. "But if you could find it in you to forgive me, I'd be eternally grateful." Birk was asking more for forgiveness for what he was going to do in the future, than for what he had done in the past. He opened his eyes hesitantly. Miranda was staring at him sternly.

"Birk," she paused, and then sighed. "I can't—I can't make this decision right now. My instinct is to scream no at you and kick you out of the castle." She pinched the bridge of her nose between thumb and finger. "And, when I see you… when it's just the two of us, it takes everything in me to fight the urge. But when I see you with Sofia, it's like all the doubts I had fade into the background. She's so happy when she's around you, and she talks about you all the time when I tuck her in. I want to forgive you, Birk. I truly do. But part of me just can't do it yet. And it's that part that can't just let you take Sofia with you."

There was a long silence. Birk had prepared many responses to the variety of ways that Miranda could have answered so that he might be able to convince her to let Sofia come, but none of them seemed appropriate. The conversation had taken an unexpected turn—although, he couldn't really call this unexpected—he should have known that when he actually got in front of Miranda, all of his defenses would collapse while hers would raise up.

He sighed deeply and turned, heading for the door. "You're right. I'm sorry I asked. I don't know what I was thinking."

Just as he opened the door, Miranda spoke up, "Birk wait."

He turned to face her again and she continued, "I told you I can't give you an answer right now. I need to think about it. Just give me some time."

"That's fair." He said. He opened the door to leave again.

"Birk."

He turned.

Neither of them spoke for a long while as a cloud of doubt, apprehension, and uncertainty hung in the air. Miranda opened her lips to speak, but then stopped. She glanced down at the floor, then again at him.

"I'm glad you've changed." She said.

"Thanks." He replied half-heartedly. He paused briefly, and then turned all the way around to face her. "You know, I don't blame you for not being able to forgive me. I hurt you. In more ways than one, and you never deserved any of it. You always deserved the best, Miranda; something I could never give you. And now you finally have it." He sighed. "I don't blame you for leaving me. You were always the one to do the right thing, I was just too stupid to realize it before it was too late, and now we both have what we deserve."

A lump caught in Birk's throat, as he suddenly understood the gravity of what he had just said. Because of the terrible way he treated Miranda, because of the father he never was, his family was being held captive, and he had to surrender to the will of a psychotic, power hungry tyrant. In an odd sort of way, was kind of like when Miranda was married to him. He was the mad, power hungry ruler and she was the one in captivity, fearing for her child's safety. It was only right that he was in this particular situation. He deserved it. Birk tried to hold back his tears. "I'll be back when S—Sofia get's—out of school." He choked.

He turned on his heel and swiftly left the room. Should he even stay? Did he deserve to get to spend time with his eldest daughter? In a sense, yes, because he deserved feeling the pain it caused him to lie to her and trick her. He deserved the guilt he felt for feeling so incredibly happy around her when his other children were in danger of starvation. He deserved the hate Miranda directed at him for all the pain he had caused her, and was still causing her. He deserved all of it. Birk ran out of the castle grounds and just outside the town line to an open field and wept on the dry grass.

 **Review? Maybe? Please? That'd be great.** ** **Otherwise, thanks for reading!** I'll post the next chapter in a couple weeks.**


	12. Chapter 12: Duties

**Hello again! Sorry this has taken a while for me to post! I would like to take this opportunity to thank artemisk1.2 who has been my faithful proofreading/idea buddy and has helped a lot with the development of this story! Also, thank you to my readers also! Without you guys, I would not have had the drive I do to finish this! So thank you, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **Chapter 12: Duties**

"Alright, your Majesty, it is twelve, fifteen and you have only three more meetings, two more ceremonies and one taste test to be done." Baileywick said to Roland as they proceeded to the throne room.

Roland sighed in relief. "Good! I'll be glad when the Tri-Kingdom Founder's Day Festival is over. Even though I'm honored to be hosting it this year, it certainly has been a challenge to organize it all. I don't know what I'd do without you Baileywick."

The steward smiled, "Thank you your Majesty, it is my pleasure to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible. So far, we are slightly ahead of schedule, would you like to take a small break?" Baileywick asked.

"I think not. I'd much rather finish early." Roland replied as he entered the throne room.

With the hustle and bustle of the castle, the day went very quickly. Roland had skipped lunch again, as he often did when the children were in school and he was much too busy with his kingly duties. Luckily, Chef Andre made these sticky bars with oats, dried fruit, and nuts that were held together with a little bit of honey, for Roland to eat in between meetings. He called them granola bars; they were about the length of Roland's palm, and about two fingers thick. Despite their small size, they were quite filling, and delicious.

Just as Roland and Baileywick were heading out again, the children arrived home from school.

"Oh, hello Daddy, where are you going?" asked Amber as she hopped off the carriage.

"Hello Amber. I'm going out to the villages of Dunwiddie and Summerset to make an appearance, and say a few words to the people about the Founder's Festival."

"Oh! Right! The festival! How could I have forgotten? I'll need to pick out a new tiara and dress for the occasion!" Amber exclaimed, clapping her hands.

Sofia followed closely behind her sister and happily hopped out of the carriage. "Oh yeah! The festival! I forgot to tell papa! I'll have to tell him when he gets here." Amber's brow furrowed and her lips thinned slightly as she glanced at Sofia. Roland puzzled briefly at the gesture, but tried not to let it show on his face. _Does Amber still distrust Birk?_

"This festival is going to be brilliant! I can't wait to see all the knights compete in the tournament!" exclaimed James.

"Don't forget the Villager's parade! I'm so excited to see all the floats everyone is making! I'm sure they'll all be beautiful!" Sofia said excitedly.

Roland chuckled, "As much as I'd like to stay and chat with you all about the festival, I've got a lot to do before it all comes together. I must be off; I'll see you all later. Make sure you finish all your homework and get to bed on time."

"Wait! You won't be back for dinner?" Amber gasped in offended bewilderment.

Roland kneeled to be eye level with his children. "I'm afraid not. There is a lot to do before the festival, and with only a few days left, I'm incredibly busy making sure everything is prepared. Don't worry though. Hopefully, I'll finish early, and be home in time to tuck you in." Roland hugged all his children together; placing gentle kisses Amber and Sofia's foreheads and ruffling James's hair. He then stood up and started toward the carriage.

"Oh, ok Daddy. Good luck!" Amber waved.

As Roland waved back, he could see the disappointment that clouded his children's smiles. It wasn't often that he worked so late to miss dinner, and he always felt bad when it did happen; some days, there was just too much work to be done and not enough time. Roland sighed and climbed into the carriage with Baileywick close behind. "Alright Coachman, off to the Village of Dunwiddie." Roland stated.

"Right away Sire. Hya!"

Roland watched his children fade from sight as the coach rose higher into the sky. He felt a slight twist in his stomach. It was an odd sensation, something seemed askew but he couldn't quite place his finger on it. Was it because of the way Amber reacted when Sofia talked about Birk? No, Amber would eventually come around; she was probably just having trouble getting used to the idea of him. It was a very big adjustment afterall, and it would take time for _all_ of them to become comfortable again. Roland tried to dismiss the feeling, chalking it up to his hunger. Everything was fine, his stomach was probably just yelling at him because he skipped lunch again. Roland stared out the window, subconsciously furrowing his eyebrows tightly together and making his mouth a tight, thin line.

"King Roland, are you alright?" Baileywick asked, concerned.

Roland jerked his head up, being stirred from his deep thought. "Yes. I think my stomach is just upset at me for skipping lunch again." He forced a smile, but it was an obvious ploy to the steward. Roland knew Baileywick could see right through him, but thankfully, the steward said nothing, and instead began rustling around in his knapsack.

After a few moments, Baileywick retrieved a tightly wrapped bar in white cloth and presented it to the king. "Would you care for a granola bar?" he asked.

Roland put a hand up, politely declining the offer. "No thank you, Baileywick. I just had one, and they need to last me well into the night."

"Right. Of course sire." Baileywick stowed the neatly wrapped bar and turned his attention out of his own window.

"Baileywick, I think I'm going to take a small nap before we get to Dunwiddie. Would you please wake me up when we arrive?"

"Of course sire."

"Thank you." Roland rested his head on the window of the carriage and let his mind wander as he closed his eyes. Images came to mind about the past few weeks and slowly morphed themselves into nonsensical daydreams, as the feeling of floating lulled him into a peaceful slumber.

 _Hazy gray-purple clouds flowed around him like a slow moving stream. A small red dot appeared just beyond the purple haze. Roland floated closer to it trying to identify the mysterious object. As he did, he realized the dot was a small red bird flying towards him. The bird flitted all around Roland, circling his head, then down around his abdomen and back up towards his head, until it finally hovered behind him. The bird began flapping its wings at the haze. Given the size of the bird, it didn't do much except swirl the haze around more. Roland just watched, unable to do anything else, seemingly paralyzed in his weightless state. The bird flapped harder, making the clouds swirl around until it looked like there was a small patch of clear air in front of them. Roland was pleasantly surprised at the determination of the bird, as it looked like it was winning its little battle. Roland, inspired by the bird, wanted to help, but could not move. Although he was weightless, he felt like his limbs were heavy, as if he were carrying a cinderblock in each hand. The bird fought harder, obviously straining its tiny wings as the haze in front of it still began to clear. Roland felt like something was watching him, so he turned his head just enough to look behind him. The haze the bird had cleared from in front of them was instead manifesting itself in thicker clouds. Roland felt an overwhelming surge of fear the mist swirled faster in its denser form, as if preparing for an attack when…_

"Sire! Sire! King Roland!" The steward's voice jostled him awake leaving the king in a sleepy stupor, the feelings from the dream already fading into his distant memory. "We have arrived sir."

Roland blinked a few times and shook himself out of the trance. "Right. Thank you Baileywick. Let's get going."

Roland was exhausted by the time he was finished with all of his Kingly duties for the day. The speeches he made in the villages went swiftly and smoothly enough, but the meeting with the Duke of Ramblingham went much longer than expected, as Lord Gilbert tended to be longwinded and easily sidetracked from the topic at hand. By the time he got home, the moon was high in the sky and his children were no doubt sleeping soundly in their beds.

He walked quietly to James's room, and found the boy sprawled out on top of his covers with A Brief Guide for the Knight's Apprentice resting open on his chest. Roland laughed gently at the sight, treading over to James's bed and gently moved the book to the nightstand. He then lifted up his son to put him under the covers. "Goodnight, son." He said placing a small kiss on his forehead, and then blew out the bedside lamp.

Roland then made his way quietly to Sofia's room. She, too, was sleeping soundly, nuzzled into her covers. Roland sat down on her bedside and stroked her hair silently for a moment. Her breaths were quiet and restful. A soft smile spread across her lips as he continued stroking her hair. Roland smiled. He considered himself lucky to have a daughter like Sofia, so graceful, and smart, and forgiving. He moved her hair out of her face and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, Sofia." Her smile grew as let out a contented sigh and she pulled her covers closer to her chin.

Roland quietly walked out of the room gently closing Sofia's bedroom door and began heading for Amber's room. When he was about to open the door, he heard a soft whimper. Parental instincts kicked in and he opened the door quickly, but quietly. Amber lay in her bed, her head twitching from side to side as she uttered small cries. "Mnnn…Sfia…nnnnn...Buhhh." She began shaking her head harder as her cries increased in volume. Roland walked quickly to her bedside and flicked on the bedside lamp. "Mmmmm…nnnnnn…Sff…Nuuuuhhhh!"

"Amber, wake up." Roland gently shook her.

"Aaahh… Daaad!"

"Yes, Amber, I'm here, I'm right here!" He shook her a little harder.

"Hlp! HELP!" Suddenly, Amber's eyed shot open as she jolted awake.

"Amber, are you alright?" Roland asked leaning closer to her.

Amber breathed hard, quietly gasping for air. She gazed at her father with wide eyes. "Daddy?"

"Yes, I'm here." He sat on her bed and stroked her hair. "It's alright, sweetheart. It's alright."

Amber's breaths began slowing, "I… I had a nightmare."

"What was it about?"

Amber looked away from her father. "Well…umm…It… I-I think…"

"Amber, it's alright. You can tell me." Roland said, gently moving her hair out of her face.

Amber turned her face away from him looking somewhat embarrassed. "I… I don't really remember anymore…I—I'm just glad you are here now, Daddy." Amber sat up and buried her face in her father's neck.

Roland held her tight and rubbed his daughter's back in small circles. "Of course, Amber."

They stayed huddled together for a few minutes, Roland gently comforting his daughter while she clung to him. Soon enough, Roland felt Amber's grip on him slowly slacken as she drifted off into a, hopefully, sweeter sleep. Roland carefully placed her back in her bed, and pulled her covers over her. He caressed her head one more time before placing a gentle kiss on it. Amber stirred, lazily blinking her eyes. "Goodnight, Daddy. Thank you."

Roland smiled and petted her hair again. "Of course, sweetheart. I'm always here for you." He kissed her one more time and extinguished the bedside lamp before walking out of the room. He slowly shut the door until he heard a gentle click. As he started down the hall, Roland thought fondly of his children and of how being a father filled him with such joy, even in his busiest and most stressful times. His children reminded him what was truly important. When Amber and James's mother died, he, much like the castle, was left as a hollow shell. Empty. Devoid of any laughter, light, or love. He hardly could speak to his children without the feeling the loss of their mother all over again. But ever since he met Miranda, and then she and Sofia moved in, the palace was lighter, everything shone more brightly than it had before; and the best part about it was that Roland's heart had also grown brighter. The castle was a home now, and Roland was grateful every time he came back to his own little slice of paradise.

As he walked down the hall, he noticed his bedroom door was slightly ajar and a light was peeking through. He slowly opened the door and saw his wife, in her nightgown pacing the room.

"Miranda? Is everything all right?" He asked, gently closing the door behind him.

She stopped and turned to face him. "Birk spoke to me today."

"Oh?" Roland made his way to the bed and sat down, taking off his shoes. He looked up at her and waited, but she remained silent. Roland furrowed his brows, now sensing her unease. "Miranda. What happened?"

Her jaw clenched, her fists tightened as she bore her gaze into the floor. She then shook her head and sucked in a sharp breath in through her teeth. Roland waited expectantly. Although the silence was killing him and he longed to ask again, he knew it wouldn't make the answer come any sooner. Anytime Miranda felt extremely upset, she'd always consider her words carefully before speaking. This was obviously one of those times, and he'd just have to wait a few more seconds for her to open up. Unfortunately those seconds felt much more like hours seeing as his wife in such a troubled state. Roland breathed deeply but silently, not wanting to risk breaking her concentration. _Just wait. She's going to tell you. Give her time_.

The silence dragged on, and Roland brought his gaze down to his hands, folding them in his lap. Still anxiously awaiting his wife's reply, he periodically glanced up at her, trying to judge if she was any closer to her tipping point. She stood there, her body completely still, the only trace of movement happening when she blinked. Roland took one more silent breath, his insides burning with the desire to ask. He gazed at her with pleading eyes, ready to lose the battle against his will, and speak again. Luckily, just before he did, Miranda sighed deeply.

"Birk…asked if he could take Sofia to Ledstranna for a couple of days."

Roland's jaw slackened. He was both relieved and shocked. Had he heard correctly? Take Sofia… All the way to Ledstrana? He blinked in surprise, but couldn't manage to make words form. "Oh." was all he managed to get out.

"Oh? Oh! OH! My alcoholic ex-husband says he wants to take our daughter to a foreign country and all you have to say is oh?!"

"Miranda, please! I just don't know what else to say! That's a lot to take in!"

She squeezed the bridge of her nose and let out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry. I just…"

"I know. It's ok." Roland got up and took his wife's hand. "Miranda, I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry too. I just didn't know what else to say."

"That makes two of us." Miranda breathed in deeply, trying to calm herself down. She released Roland's hand and slowly wrapped her arms around her own chest closing her eyes. "When Birk asked me, it took all I had not to kick him out of the castle myself. I told him that I had to talk to you before I gave him an answer."

Roland thought a moment before speaking. "Well, do you want Sofia to go with him?"

She looked at him, wide-eyed. "Is this seriously a question, Roland? Of course not! I barely even want her to be with him at all! It's hard enough just having him here every day! I can hardly consider sending Sofia _away_ with him!"

Roland took Miranda by the shoulders and looked straight into her eyes. "Then that makes two of us."

Miranda looked up at him, her anger flashed away, replaced by tears of relief that welled up. She smiled painfully, and tried to speak, but couldn't manage to get any words out. Slowly, one tear escaped and ran down her cheek. Roland cupped her face with his large hand and gently wiped the tear away from her hot skin.

"Oh, Rollie." Miranda sniffed. "I'm so relieved to hear you say that."

Roland smiled, albeit somewhat confused. "What did you think I was going to say?"

Miranda chuckled through her sobs, "I don't know why, but I was so scared you were going to say that you thought it would be a good idea, since he's her birth father."

Roland was taken aback, and a bit wounded, not by her but more by how he had made her feel. He stared at her for a moment, then at the ground in deep thought. _He_ had pushed Miranda into letting Birk spend time with their daughter. Even though she tried to assure him many times that she was fine and it would just take time for her to get used to the new Birk, he knew it was eating away at her every day, he just refused to see it until now. He felt like he had failed as a husband. He made her feel as if she fighting a losing battle all alone. How could he once again, step on his wife's wishes after seeing how much it truly hurt her?

Roland gathered her into his arms quickly, realizing his fault and seeking to ease Miranda's deeply seeded pain. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I made you feel that you were alone in this. I promise that I am with you, and from now on, we will do whatever you feel the most comfortable with in regards to Birk seeing Sofia. It was wrong of me to convince you otherwise. Please forgive me."

Miranda wrapped her arms around his waist and held him close. "Oh, Rollie. As much as it comforts me to hear you say that, it was not wrong of you to convince me to let Birk spend time with Sofia. As much as I hate to admit it, she has been so happy seeing him every day. I just can't fight this feeling that something awful is going to happen." The couple separated just enough to look each other in the eyes.

Even though Miranda's eyes shone with worry and pain, hope and love still lingered in her tears gleaming in the pale candlelight. Roland gazed back at her with the fierce determination of a protector and father. "So long as we're together Miranda, Sofia will stay safe."

Miranda closed her eyes, blinking away another tear that she let Roland wipe away once again. She tried to muster something to say, but the words just kept getting caught in her throat. So she just nodded and buried her face in her husband's chest. Roland rested his chin on her head and breathed in the scent of her perfume. From now on, he would do everything in his power to support his wife, and make sure she was taken care of above all else.


	13. Chapter 13: Hourglass

**Hello again beloved readers! I'm super sorry it's taken me so incredibly long to update. This story is still in progress and I am still working out a lot of the kinks in later chapters before I upload them, which is why it takes me so long. I try and make sure that each chapter I post is of good quality before it gets posted, so I appreciate your patience for those of you who have just followed, and have been following for a while now. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I will update another one soon! I promise.**

 **Enjoy! Reviews are always appreciated!**

Chapter 13: Hourglass

A single drop of water fell in the deafening silence with a thunderous 'tunk' onto the cold, hard ground. It woke a little girl that was so small and skinny, she could easily be mistaken for a toddler. Another drop sounded, and the little girl lifted her head off her mother's shoulder batting her eyes, trying to get the sleep out of them. She moved her curly, ash brown locks out of her face and yawned, stretching her tiny arms above her head. Another 'tunk.' The little girl was now awake and finally figured out what had awoken her.

"Mama! I think it's raining! The water is dripping again!" She cried. Her little voice was muted by the thick, cement walls. The small girl scurried to the wet spot of dirt and lay down with her mouth open as a water droplet fell on her, tickling her cheek. She repositioned her head slightly and the droplets began splashing right in the center of her tongue, cooling the parched skin upon contact. After five drops had accumulated in her mouth, she swallowed the small amount of liquid and went to wake her mother.

"Mama! There's water!" the little girl jostled the woman, but she remained asleep. "Mama! Come on! You need to wake up! You need water!" she shook her mother's arm harder but only managed to wake the sleeping toddler in her arms. He did not cry. He merely looked at her with weak, tired eyes. "Come on, Ian! It's raining outside!" The tiny girl hoisted her little brother up as best she could, and helped him walk to the spot where she laid earlier. After making sure he was in the right position to drink water, she went back to her mother.

"Mama!" She said as loudly as her little voice could. "Ian is awake too! Now you can wake up!" She took her mother's face in her tiny little hands and gave her head a good shake.

Her mother's head slumped to the side when the little girl let go. She lay motionless except the gradual ascent and descent of her chest caused by her steady breathing. Quite miffed, the little girl firmly planted her little fists on her hips. She glared at her mother a moment. The next thing she did was the one sure way of waking her mother up. She was even told by her mother to do it if she would not wake up by other means. The girl pulled her hand back and stretched her fingers out. "Mama!" She yelled in a last stitch effort to rouse her.

Still nothing.

"Ghmmm! Fine!" She growled. With all the strength and speed she could muster, she brought her hand down her mother's cheek with surprising force for her frail-looking body. The woman jerked her head up and looked around frantically, still disoriented from being awakened. "What! Please, don't hurt my children!" The woman blinked a few times and looked around her and finally saw her daughter staring at her with her hands on her hips.

"Anastassia. What is going on? Did you just slap me?" she touched her hand to her stinging cheek.

Anastassia immediately dropped her hands to her side, and looked at the floor, completely relinquishing her authoritarian air. "Yes, Mama. I'm sorry, but you wouldn't wake up, and there's water dripping from the ceiling, so I did what you told me to do." She said apologetically.

Anya sighed in relief and patted her daughter on the head. "Good girl. Thank you."

Anastassia flashed a toothy, cock-eyed grin quite pleased with herself, despite having slapped her mother. "Well, c'mon Mama. You need some water. Do you need help up?"

Anya let out a small chuckle that morphed into a relentless cough. Her lungs and throat burned as the cough continued. The woman had sincerely believed that if not for her children, this accursed sickness would have taken her weeks ago; but she had to keep fighting for their sake. After the cough subsided, she finally spoke, her voice hoarse. "Oh my little bell, no I will be alright. I'll get there eventually. You go drink some while I'm on my way over."

Anastassia furrowed her brows and frowned at her mother, knowing full well how weak she was due to her hunger and illness. Despite her mother's request, Anastassia held out her hand. "I might not be strong mama, but at least hold my hand so you know you're not alone."

Anya looked up at her daughter with admiration. She fought back tears that threatened to form. No, she would not cry when neither her four-year-old daughter, nor her two-year-old son would. Anya smiled and took her daughter's hand. She did not put any weight on her daughter's hand, just simply held it as Anastassia had said. She was able to bring herself up onto her knees, where she paused briefly, trying to stabilize herself. Anastassia held her hand tighter, and rubbed it in gentle encouragement. Anya steeled herself as she released her daughter's hand to push against the wall for leverage until she staggered all the way up to her feet. Anastassia didn't move until her mother stood up completely. She then offered her hand again.

"You were right." Anya said as she took her daughter's hand. "It is easier to get up when someone is there to hold your hand." The two shared a smile and Anastassia lead her mother to the dripping water.

Ian was still laying down under the water, now letting it splash onto his nose and on his face, giggling each time it did. "Ian! Stop that! That's drinking water!" Anastassia scolded, putting her hands on her hips and puffing out her chest.

Anya let out a raspy laugh. "Little bell, it's fine. He's just enjoying a small bath for his face. That's worth using water for, isn't it?"

The small girl's pride deflated immediately. "I guess you're right, mama."

"I'm always right." Anya laughed, but then coughed again.

Anastassia frowned and then took her mother's hand and had her stand beneath the tiny dripping shower. "Mama, you should drink some water now. Ian and I already had some, now it's your turn."

"Well, it seems like you all have found your water rations for the day, so it looks like I won't have to be providing them." A distinct voice rang menacingly throughout the cellar. The family turned and saw the tall, slender woman stalking toward their cell. Anastassia scowled at the gaunt woman and grasped her mother's hand tighter. Ian immediately sat up and then crawled behind his mother's legs.

Anya steeled herself for her children's sake. "Vasilia, please. You know we can't go more than two days without water. Maybe I could, but my children cannot. If nothing else, bring them water and food."

Vasilia turned up her nose as if smelling sour milk. "It's disgusting when people beg. But worry not. I have no intention of decreasing your rations today. As a matter of fact, I am feeling rather generous. Vlad!" she spat.

A man who was about the size of a small house entered the underground cellar, having to duck his head so he didn't scrape it on the ceiling. "Da, milady?" his voice was as gruff and deep, intimidating as his form. Anya flinched. She never quite got used to hearing him speak, as he did so very seldomly.

"Go and get these peasants their food and water rations for today." Vasilia hummed, still looking down at them from behind her nose. Vlad merely nodded and turned to go back up the stairs of the cellar. "Oh and Vlad? Bring this wretch some medicine. I can't have her dying before Birk gets back, or he'll think it's my fault."

Vlad nodded again and plodded back up the stairs. Anya let out the breath she didn't realized she had been holding.

"Don't mistake this for kindness. I am merely keeping my end of the bargain I made with your husband. I keep you alive, and he gets me the amulet." Vasilia stepped toward them, her eyes glowing with black malevolence. "So don't you go and die. The food given to each of you is a perfect portion to keep each of you alive. If you don't eat it… well, let's just say hunger will be the last thing you'll have to think about. Oh, but don't worry. I'll make sure you're able to see your dear Birk again. But it's all up to you to determine how long you have with him after I release you. Ponyat'?"

Anya would have swallowed hard if her throat weren't so dry; she nodded once not daring to speak again.

"Good. Eat up, now." A deep chuckle emanated from Vasilia's throat as an ethereal cloud of smoky purple rose from her feet, then swirled around and engulfed her body as she vanished into the air.

Anya felt her daughter's grip on her hand tighten. She turned her attention toward the child and almost immediately, Anya's heart sunk. Anastassia's lip curled up toward her nose in a snarl, while her eyebrows were being pulled closer to one another by the second. Anya knew that look. She had seen the same expression on many times on Birk before he sobered up. Rage, dread, hatred: these were all things a young child should never have to experience, let alone while being locked inside a jail cell.

"Mama." Anastassia finally broke the silence. "Come on. You need water." Her voice was devoid of all joy and happiness, the things that earned her the nickname, 'little bell.'

Anya turned her face toward the ceiling. _Please. I beg you. Bring Birk home soon. I don't care how you do it, just get him here so he can save us. I do not know how much longer we can last._

"Mama." Anastassia tugged violently on her mother's hand, bringing her out of her little prayer. "Right." Anya sighed, but then nodded and allowed her daughter to lead her back to the dripping fountain.

The family sat around the water droplets taking turns holding out their hands until they were full enough to sip from. There was enough water dripping from the ceiling now, that a sputtering column of water flowed into their palms, filling them rather quickly. A few minutes later, heavy footsteps came from the stairs, indicating Vlad's return, as well as the arrival of food. Vlad slid a tray with three portions of bread, one larger than the other two, thinly sliced meat, and apples underneath the cellar bars and glared at Anya, silently commanding her to eat her portion. There were also three little capsules placed on a cloth.

Vlad pointed to the capsules. "You get two. Children get half. A precaution. Eat." Said the massive man. Silence hung in the air like a thick fog until he disappeared up above the stairs.

Each family member took a piece of bread and broke it up into tiny pieces, as they ate trying to make it last for as long as possible. Anya took two of the capsules and cut the third in half and gave it one to each of her children, washing the bitter tasting chalk down with water. They savored their meat and apples as well as they continued taking turns with the water, which also helped them pace themselves while eating. While Ian was waiting patiently for his tiny palms to fill, Anya noticed Anastassia glaring with contempt at the cellar stairs. She could only imagine what was going through the child's mind. Anastassia clenched her jaw and silently snarled, "Mama, that lady is evil."

Anya remained silent.

"I wish she was dead. Then Papa could come back, and we could all go home together."

Anya fully understood why her daughter would say something so morbid, but what was unnerving was that she knew full well the gravity of what she was saying. Not entirely pleased with the fact that her four-year-old already had the capacity to harbor true hatred for someone, Anya chose her words carefully. "I know, little bell. I wish we could go home too."

At the end of a long hallway sat an enormous, stone door. Emblazoned on it was the outline of a massive, pelican-like bird that had large talons instead of webbed feet. Truly an inspiring creature whether for fear or strength: the cikavac. Two small rubies created its eyes, which penetrated fear into the hearts of all but one whom the great bird deemed worthy. Its wings were fully unfurled; its talons outstretched in a further display of its overwhelming power. The corridor was so deathly silent that even Vasilia's ghostly footfalls could be heard patting the ground as she glided across the marble floor. She stopped in front of the door, and gazed up at the ruby eyes in admiration.

"Placere, magna potestate dantis desiderio, aperta ad potens amicus." She chanted asking for entrance.

"Salve, amice. Votum est mandatum meum." The ruby eyes flashed with each syllable as a deep rumbling voice spoke and welcomed her into its realm. A loud crack sounded as the door opened enough for her to walk through. Vasilia bowed her head in thanks and entered the large double doors. Once inside, she waved her hand and chanted, "Gratias tibi. Nunc ex aliis, claudunt." The doors shut themselves, sealing her away from all others.

"Certo, domina." This time it was not the door that answered respectfully, but a living version of the large emblazoned bird. Though not as large as the engraving on the door, it's size was still formidable and it was perched in front of the large arched window on the north side of the room.

"Zeleny, you are much too kind to me." Vasilia cooed as she approached the massive avian creature. She stroked the dark decorative feathers atop his head and the bird leaned into her touch.

"Only the kindest of words for you, milady." His low growling voice reverberated throughout the chamber as Vasilia continued petting his head and long beak.

"Now Zeleny, would you be so kind as inform me of Birk's activities?" she asked, giving him one final scratch on the top of his head.

"Of course, milady." Zeleny ruffled his feathers then stretched out his wings, which dwarfed Vasilia's height by at least four feet, then resumed his relaxed position. "Birk spoke privately to the queen of Enchancia. I believe he intends to bring the princess here so that you can take the amulet for yourself."

Vasilia thought for a moment and hummed to herself. "Not a terrible idea. No… The opposite, in fact, I believe that would be ideal. If I can get that little printsessa to give me the amulet herself, I would have no problem unlocking its true powers."

Zeleny folded his wings, resuming his relaxed position on his perch. The perch was about as high as Vasilia's upper thigh, and the massive bird was eye level with her when he rested his head on his body, diminishing his long neck. "However, I believe that, unless Birk plans on kidnapping printsessa, his plan will not work. Birk's former wife has much power over the king."

Vasilia sighed, feigning distress. "Oh dear, that is a problem isn't it?"

Zeleny let out a gruff chuckle and was about to respond, but Vasilia suddenly stiffened. "What is it milady?" asked the bird.

Vasilia glanced around the chamber. She then went to the window stuck her hand out feeling the icy wind. "The wind has just changed. I believe the time is coming more quickly than we anticipated. That amulet is the key to our success. We must get it."

Zeleny shifted his weight on his perch. "What do you propose we do, milady?"

Vasilia paced back towards the middle of the room then stopped. She folded her hands and turned back to her familiar. "We give Birk three days. If he's not back by evening on the third day, we take matters into our own hands." Vasilia turned and walked over to a large mirror on the west wall, framed in ornately crafted gold. She slid her spindly white pointer finger up the center of the mirror. Her image began to ripple and distort as the solid surface morphed into a silvery pool swirling inside the frame. Vasilia stuck her hand into the mirror and pulled out a perfectly round opalescent orb. The silvery liquid of the mirror dripped off the orb and back into the mirror until only the shimmering opal was left. She caressed the orb and then drew a series of symbols, each one of them lighting up like warm candlelight.

Vasilia waited. The orb began to clear and inside, and she saw the image of Birk, looking quite pathetic and rather disheveled. Small twigs stuck in his curly mop, his eyes red and face swollen. Vasilia raised one of her thin, dark eyebrows. "Well, don't you look positively dreadful?"

Birk groaned as the picture shook. "Since when have you cared about how I'm fairing?"

"You're right. I don't. I have much more pressing matters to be concerned with. My plans need to be accelerated immediately. Things are moving faster than I anticipated. I must have that amulet within three days time."

Birk's eyes widened. "Three days! The trip alone takes two by pegasus!"

"I am well aware of that fact. You just remember the reason I sent you there in the first place. You are there to get that amulet for me. Any other motives you have while you are in Enchancia are meaningless to me. Get the amulet. Bring it back to me. You mustn't keep your family waiting." She flashed him a wicked smile before waving her hand over the orb, causing it to return to its original clouded, opalescent state. Vasilia returned the orb to the mirror, letting it sink into the silver pool, and then turned back to her avian familiar.

"Zeleny. Continue watching him. If he does not have the amulet by sunset on the third day, I wish you to bring it to me whether it's around that child's neck or not."

"Your wish is my command." Replied the cikavac. Bowing his head, he unfurled his giant wings and took off out of the large window with one powerful flap making Vasilia's gown flitter in the strong gust. She stepped up to the windowsill and watched Zeleny disappear behind the horizon, far faster than any pegasus ever could.

She gazed at the shining stars, her eyes narrowed to beady slits in her face as the night air whipped her with unseen freezing blades. She could feel the vengeful aura already floating in on the wind, taunting her. Her lip curled up in a menacing smile. "It's cute how you try and scare me. I am still fully here while you are still nothing but a wafting breeze. I assure you, when you return, you will be no match for me."

 **Translations:**

 **Placere, magna potestate dantis desiderio, aperta ad potens amicus: Please, great wish granter, open for your powerful friend.**

 **Salve, amice. Votum est mandatum meum: Welcome, friend. Your wish is my command.**

 **Gratias tibi. Nunc ex aliis, claudunt: Thank you. Now to all others, close.**

 **Certo, domina: Of course, milady.**


	14. Chapter 14: Three: Amberina Major

**Hello again lovely readers! I hope you enjoyed the last chapter! This one's a little longer than normal, so hopefully you'll forgive me for not updating in forever (since before chapter 13 anyway). Read and enjoy, and type a little review if you are so inclined, they are always appreciated!**

Chapter 14: Three: Amberina Major

The sun peeked right up above the horizon and cast golden rays into Amber's bedroom. She squeezed her eyes shut and then pulled her blankets tightly over her head, trying to block out the one intrusive ray that had decided to shine right on her face through the part in the tapestries. As she breathed into her blankets, the sheets warmed slowly, and she tried to relax enough to go back to sleep. However, the comforting warmth quickly turned into an oppressive heat, and the lack of air became more oppressive the longer Amber kept her head covered. Unable to bear it anymore, the princess jerked her body onto her left side, facing away from the intrusive light. She let the blanket go just enough to make a domelike cave that shielded her eyes from the sun, but left her mouth uncovered so she could breathe fresh air. Amber breathed deeply, relishing the feeling of the fresh, cool morning air as it filled her lungs. She relaxed a little bit, though not enough to put her back to sleep. Her nightmare had kept her up most of the night, even after her father had comforted her. She had told him she didn't remember the dream, but it was a lie. In fact, she remembered the dream very vividly. Flashes of it still clung to her mind as she fought to go back to sleep. She knit her brows together trying to will her body to go back to sleep.

It did not work. Angrily, she let out an exasperated moan. Tired of fighting for sleep, Amber threw her covers off her body and stared at the folds of fabric on the ceiling of her canopy bed. She lay there for only a short moment, as the flashes of her dream the night before came flooding back into her mind.

 _A splash of red, a swirl of black, and a grotesque, winged creature with a devilish grin appeared in Amber's window. The creature spoke in a low rumbling voice, "Come, fly with me Sofia."_

" _Sofia, no! You can't!" Amber reached out for her sister's hand and Sofia reached back with a frightened look in her eye. Amber's feet were suddenly glued to the floor and she found herself unable to stretch any farther to grab Sofia. The creature unfurled its massive wings and narrowed its beady red eyes at Sofia. The younger girl froze in her tracks, looking like a porcelain doll, unable to move with the creatures gaze upon her._

" _Sofia!" Amber yelled as loud as she could to try and get her attention, but her sister's gaze was fixated on the creature. "Let her go!" Amber demanded. The creature slowly turned its head towards her, its red eyes glinting like gemstones in the dim light. Amber suddenly felt paralyzed. Her legs grew numb, her arms felt like limp noodles at her sides, and she had no power to pry her eyes away from the terrifying creature. Helplessness began to set in, it was pointless to struggle, but Amber also knew she couldn't leave her sister alone with the monster. Amber tried to flail her arms, stomp her feet, turn her head, anything to get out of the creature's stare, but to no avail. She was trapped._

 _The monster kept its flashing eyes on Amber and lifted up a clawed foot and grabbed Sofia, causing her to flop over like a rag doll. Amber tried to scream, but was too frightened to force any sound out of her mouth. Amber fought desperately against the paralysis, but her body wouldn't obey. The creature turned its attention away from Amber for a split second, preparing to take flight. Feeling the sudden freedom to move, Amber jumped and tried to grab Sofia; but just as her hand grazed against the scaly claw, the creature gave one mighty flap of its wings and flew off with her. Amber was left screaming for help to come. She didn't care who it was, just that they could get her sister back._

Amber shook her head. _It's just a dream. It's always just a dream._

The princess swung her legs off her bed and made her way towards her vanity. "Ugh." She scoffed upon seeing her completely frazzled appearance. The normal waves in her hair were mangled and crinkled in a most hideous manner. A bump protruded from the back of her head where she had slept on it most of the night, and the dark circles under her eyes had become even more apparent over the last two weeks due to her recurring nightmare. Amber ran her fingers through her hair and let out a heavy sigh. Some water on her hairbrush should do the trick to calm this crazy mess; hopefully some powder would take care of those uncomely circles. Since the sun was still barely peeking over the horizon, Amber figured it wouldn't hurt to wash herself with the rag and small washbasin that she kept by her vanity. She'd have to make sure to leave it by her door so that Violet would replace it.

After Amber finished washing herself, taming her wild morning hair, and dabbing a bit of makeup under her eyes, there was still ample time before breakfast, so she decided to head up to the observatory to check out the giant star chart Sofia and James found. Amber chuckled and repressed a blush, recalling that the last time she had been at the observatory, she was with Sofia and they got carried away with notions about sealians. However, Amber's smile faded as quickly as it came; only a few weeks had passed since then, but so much had changed, that it seemed like a lifetime ago. She and Sofia used to spend much of their free time together, but ever since Sofia's "Papa" came around, the only time she got to see her sister was at school and meal times. And even then, he's all Sofia could talk about.

 _It's not fair! Who does that man think he is anyway? Coming back after who knows how long and stealing Sofia away from us? Sure he's her birth father, but what about us! He could have come at any time, so why now? With what he did to Mother, I don't think he even deserves to see Sofia!_

The more Amber ranted silently to herself, the angrier and more perturbed she became. In her troubled rage, she passed right by the observatory door, only to bump into one of the many vases that were dispersed throughout the castle. "Oops!" Amber exclaimed, lunging forward just in time to catch the teetering vase.

"Who put this vase outside the observatory anyway?" She grumbled in agitation, but then let out a sigh. _Who am I kidding? It's always been there._ Feeling somewhat foolish and defeated, Amber slowly walked the few steps back to the observatory and opened the large doors.

The giant star chart was rolled up and propped up against the wall, having since been moved from its trap door storage compartment. Amber thought it odd to store such a valuable research tool in the floor. Why put it there and then cover it up with a desk for so long? Could there have been some reason it had been stored there? Amber puzzled for a moment, but shrugged, and then pushed the large chart onto the floor. It was already leaning slightly to one side, so Amber didn't notice the weight of the chart until a loud 'thud' echoed throughout the observatory and dust puffed up in little clouds. Amber cringed, not expecting the map to be quite so heavy. She assumed it would have been made of parchment, but it instead it was more of a soft, dense tapestry.

She placed both hands on the tapestry and pushed hard, expecting it to be very heavy, especially for her. To her pleasant surprise, the chart unrolled so easily she almost fell over because there was hardly any resistance when she pushed. _Seems I don't know my own strength anymore. Perhaps those riding lessons and other outdoorsy things are helping more than I originally anticipated!_ The princess mused.

Amber admired the star map as it lay splayed out on the floor, and couldn't help but let out a small giddy squeal. "Oh! Wow! This really is fantastic!"

The map was a large circle made mostly out of thick, dark blue fabric for the background, and the stars, a pearl white fabric that seemed to shine and twinkle in the sunlight. Amber gasped in awe and bent down to touch one of the stars. It was silky to the touch and seemed to brighten in the shadow of her fingers. "Hmm…"

Amber cupped her hands around her eye and bent down to look closely at the gleaming fabric. It shone and sparkled faintly much like a real star in the darkness. Amber sat bolt upright and gasped in excitement. She hurried to the observatory door and made sure to close the doors completely. There was a crank mechanism to the left of the door, the controlled the large dome over the observatory. Amber had never had the need to use it, as they mainly left it open, even when it was not in use, but she had to see if the whole map glowed like the single star she just saw. She pushed hard on the lever. It wriggled in place but didn't move at first. Amber braced herself on it and pushed as hard as she could, leaning all her weight on the lever. After a loud click, the lever gave way and Amber was able to push the rusty crank into motion, closing the observatory dome.

"Oh! I should probably light a lamp before I close this all the way." Amber stopped cranking and jogged over to one of the desks, and began rustling in the drawer looking for a match. "I know there must be one in here somewhere." Amber leaned down to look in the far corner of the drawer and rummaged around some more. "Ah ha! There you are!" She exclaimed, pulling out a matchbox before looking inside. "Good. There's plenty in here."

Amber pulled out a match and had to strike it against the side of the box a few times before it actually lit. She put the matchbox down right next to the lamp, then holding the match in one hand, she used her other to take the glass casing off the lamp and carefully lit the wick before blowing out the match. "There. That should do the trick." She said as she placed the glass back on the lamp.

She left her lamp on the desk and went back to cranking. After only a few more seconds, the dome closed with a reverberating clang of metal mechanisms merging together once again. Amber pushed hard on the crank one last time until she heard a loud click, signaling the dome had latched itself shut. She carefully walked back to the light of her lamp and gazed at the star map in the dim light. The fabric of the stars shimmered as the light bounced off them and gave the room a little more light. Amber put a hand on her chin and let out a small hum. She then went to the lamp, and turned the wick all the way down, until it went out.

The stars glowed a soft white, glinting in the darkness. Amber marveled at the twinkling stars and got down on her knees to get a better look. She whispered in amazement at how real they looked. Suddenly a bright light flashed from the northern side of the map. Amber squinted and raised her arm to block the dazzling light. The light faded quickly and was replaced by soft blue light that seemed to come from every direction. Amber opened her eyes and slowly lifted her head as her jaw slackened.

All the stars on the map shone all around the observatory dome, floating all around her. Some were brilliant white, some blazing blue; others burned red, or had a crowing yellow halo around them. Amber stood and breathed a whisper of amazement. She had seen a night sky full of stars. She had seen them through her telescope, but never anything like this. She slowly made her way around the observatory in complete awe of the breathtaking sight. Faint white lines made a graph-like sphere around the whole dome, and spread out on to the floor making Amber feel like she was walking among the stars.

As she meandered around the observatory, she began recognizing stars and constellations. "Oh, there's Pegasus Major." She said, pointing up to a curved part of the ceiling. _Alright. Now, where's Draconicus?_ Amber turned in circles, trying to get a solid frame of reference. "Oh! There's Orionis! And… there's the Hunter!" Amber nodded proudly, quite pleased with herself finding her way in the stars. Normally, it wouldn't have taken her that long to orient herself, but she was used to seeing the stars from so much farther away. It was somewhat difficult to spot the exact constellations when she was walking among them.

After a good while of admiring the stars all around, Amber spotted a particular, golden star that had a green corona shining around its edges. Amber furrowed her eyebrows, and then looked around at the other stars around it. Sure enough, everything was in its place and her suspicions were confirmed.

"Amberina Major?" She gasped. None of the star maps she had looked at before ever had her star on them. How could this one? It was easily older than her father and mother, possibly even older than her grandmother. How could it have a newly discovered star on it? Amber then raised an eyebrow, somewhat embarrassed for own ignorance. _Of course, it's a magic star map._ That's one thing you could always count on in Enchancia, if it doesn't make sense: Magic.

Amber chuckled to herself before puzzling over the star again. _Of course, even magic is made by something, be it human, beast, or natural phenomena; so in order for this star to be here, there must be something behind its power._

Amber stepped toward her star so that the light from it shown brightly on her face. She brought her hand up so that the star floated a few centimeters above it. Amber giggled. "It's like I'm holding it!" She gently caressed the green aurora surrounding the star, and was surprised when she felt the tiniest semblance of a shock. Amber withdrew her hand and examined it for a moment before, rubbing her thumb against her fingers. She looked back at Amberina Major. The green corona flickered, expanding and shrinking around the star ever so slightly. Amber thought it looked oddly like it was shivering. She brought her hand up to it again, this time extending her pointer finger. She stopped and held her hand still when she felt the same buzzing sensation as before. It was strange; it was as if the star itself were vibrating so fast, that the air around it was becoming electrically charged. As Amber dared to push her finger closer to the ball of light, it grew brighter and the buzzing, more intense. She squinted at the brightness, still pressing closer to the star as the vibration increased. Just as Amber got mere centimeters away from the stellar light, she felt a jolt just strong enough to make her jerk her hand back. "Ow." She whispered, more out of reflex than actual pain.

A red beam of light them shot out from the star and arched all the way to the top of the other side of the observatory. Amber followed the line with her eyes until it landed on a brilliantly blue star near the ceiling. For a split second, Amber thought she could see a design in the surrounding stars and dust particles. She adjusted her position slightly so that she kneeled right blow Amberina Major and scrutinized the cluster of stars. The blue star was much brighter than the surrounding stars, and it had a strange red aurora surrounding it. So far that Amber could tell, there were two smaller, green stars making a large, obtuse triangle below the head star. She assumed there were probably more stars to the unfamiliar constellation, but she could not see them. There was definitely something more there though; she just had to find the right angle to see it. She leaned to the left and tilted her head forward just a smidge, and that's when she saw it. The stars were connected with thin, white lines and the dust particles floating around them seemed to display a contorted image of an old man with a long beard.

The dust particles swirled around and morphed the image so that it looked like hands formed around the two lower stars. Amber shook her head and rubbed her eyes. She had to be seeing things. However, when she opened her eyes, the image of the old man was still there, and had changed again, albeit slightly. It now looked as if he was admiring his hands. Before Amber had time to fully process what she had just seen, the sound of the observatory door opening made the princess jump. Light spilled into the room and the magnificent scene before her completely vanished.

"Princess Amber?" Baileywick called out.

Amber tried to calm her breathing, both because of the shock from what she had just seen, as well as the scare she experienced from the steward entering so suddenly. After a few seconds, she heard Baileywick's footsteps coming farther into the observatory. "Yes Baileywick, I'm here!" Amber answered.

The steward approached her in the dim light. "What are you doing here in the dark?" he asked.

"Oh, I was looking at that old star map." She said breathlessly.

"In the dark?" Baileywick raised an eyebrow.

 _He probably doesn't know what it can do, then. Does anyone know that it's magic? Why was it hidden away? What exactly did I see in the stars? Perhaps it's better if I keep this a secret for now, I'd like to investigate it more._

"Oh, yes! I uh, like the feeling of studying the stars at night, so I closed the dome." Amber lied quickly, attempting to hide her nervous laugh.

Baileywick raised his eyebrows in surprise and nodded slowly in apprehension. "Alright. Well, it's time for breakfast."

"Alright. Let me just put the star chart away and I'll be right down."

"Why don't I help you? That old thing can get very heavy."

"Oh, thank you Baileywick." Amber smiled. The two walked over to where the massive star chart was laying on the floor. Almost immediately, Amber noticed that the glinting stars had gone dim and not longer shown with the shimmering luster they had previously. _Maybe it used up a lot of its magic._

Baileywick rolled up the rug-like chart quickly and then the two stood on opposite ends to lift it up. It was much lighter than Amber had anticipated and she had absolutely no trouble picking up her end, while it seemed like Baileywick was putting in a considerable amount of effort. Amber puzzled for a moment. _No, he's probably just lifting the majority of the weight._

They made their way to the wall where Amber found it. She set down her side of the chart, while Baileywick hoisted his side up and propped it against the wall. "There we go. Now, it's time we get you out of the dark and down to breakfast." Baileywick said with his normal air of calm authority. Amber smiled, and nodded as she let the steward escort her down to breakfast.

 _I think I'll look in the library to see if I can find anything about this first. If I can't I'll go and see what Cedric knows about this magical star chart._

Down at the breakfast table, her mother and two siblings were already sitting down. Amber was slightly disappointed when she didn't see her father.

"Finally! Took you long enough! Now we can finally eat!" James blurted out. Amber's sadness instantly transformed into defensive irritation. It always irked her when her brother gave her grief for putting time and effort into her appearance, but it always bothered her most when he made fun of her for it, and it wasn't even the reason for her tardiness.

"You know James, I think that every time you fill your stomach, something goes wrong, and your brain gets more empty." She spat gracefully as she took her seat next to Sofia.

"Hey!" James complained.

"Amber, that's no way to speak to your brother." Said Miranda in her stern mom voice.

"Ugh, but he started it!" the princess retorted hotly.

"What are you talking about? I didn't say anything!" James protested.

"I don't care who started it, we're finishing it! Now, both of you apologize." Miranda eyed her children with her signature mom face that never failed to quiet down even the most riotous of arguments. The twins turned away from each other begrudgingly.

"Sorry Amber." James said after looking up at his sister from under his furrowed eyebrows.

Amber sat quietly for a moment, reluctant to apologize when she was only defending herself.

"Amber. Apologize to James." There it was again, that threatening maternal voice that reduced the most swollen of egos to dust.

"Sorry, James." Said Amber finally, but not before rolling her eyes.

Amber saw her mother's look of disapproval, but did her best to avoid it by keeping her head down as she stabbed a piece of potato. Sofia glanced at her sister with concern in here eyes. Amber refused to look at her and instead stuffed the potato into her mouth, ramming her teeth down on the soft, salty spud.

The family ate in silence for a few moments while the tension in the room dissipated. When it seemed like everyone's feelings had normalized a little bit, Sofia decided to open up some friendly conversation again. "Today, papa and I are going to the Enchanted Animal Park. I thought it would be nice to have our own kind of Dads and Daughters day!"

"That sounds like a great idea Sofia." Miranda smiled.

Amber dropped her fork and gasped in shock. "But Sofia! You said that you'd have tea with Hildegard, Clio and me today!"

"Oh no! I forgot! I'm sorry, Amber. But we do it some other time, right?" Sofia asked.

"Sofia! We've rescheduled twice already!" Amber whined.

"I know, Amber, and I'm really sorry! But I want to spend as much time with my papa as I can. Why don't we do it on Monday after school? I promise I won't reschedule again!"

"That's what you said last time." Amber muttered under her breath, subjecting one of the last potatoes to her wrath.

"What'd you say, Amber?"

"Nothing, Sofia. Have fun with your papa." Amber tried to sound nice, but she couldn't help but sneer at the word, 'papa' though she did her best to hide it. "Mother, may I be excused?"

Miranda eyed Amber's plate. She had eaten about half of her breakfast, which was pretty good considering the stress she was under. "Sure, Amber." The queen answered, with a knowing glance.

Amber got up from her seat and walked away as quickly as she could. She knew that if she stayed any longer, she'd end up saying something she'd regret to her dear sister. How could she explain her thoughts and reservations about Birk when Sofia was obviously so happy with him? Not all that long ago, Amber would have easily spoken her mind without considering how her words would affect Sofia. But now she realized that if she let her emotions get the better of her, she'd just end up hurting her sister's feelings, or worse, betraying her trust, and that was something she never wanted to do.

"Mom, may I be excused too?" asked Sofia, keeping her gaze on Amber who sped out of the dining room.

"Of course, sweetheart. James, you can go too if you're done." Miranda replied.

With a considerable amount of food in his mouth, James swallowed laboriously and then let out a small burp. "Whoops, 'scuse me." He said as a slight blush came across his cheeks.

Sofia and Miranda shared a mirthful glance and giggled lightly. James smiled too as he leapt from his chair and started jogging away. "Well, I'm off to see Sir Finnegan! Bye, Mom. Later, Sof!"

Sofia hopped down from her chair, smiling at her brother's antics. "I'll see you later, Mom."

Miranda nodded and gave her daughter a warm smile as she watched her leave the breakfast table.

Sofia walked quickly about the castle, searching for her sister. She had just finished checking Amber's room and was about to head to the observatory, when she heard the soft, rhythmic plodding of little paws behind her. "Hey Sof, what'cha up to?" asked her bunny friend.

"Oh, hi Clover. I'm looking for Amber. I think she's really upset with me."

"Really? Why?" he questioned, bouncing along beside her.

"Well, I had to reschedule our tea date with Hildegard and Clio again… it's the third time." Sofia replied sheepishly.

"Oohhh, yikes. How come you keep rescheduling?"

"Well, since I met my papa, I've just wanted to spend as much time with him as I can before he leaves. He's only going to be here for one more week before he goes back to Ledstrana, and after that who knows when I'll get to see him again?" Sofia sighed and folded her hands in front of her, slowing her pace.

"Hmm. Well, if you've been spending most of your time with your papa, Amber probably just feels left out. Have you talked to her about it?"

Sofia chewed the inside of her cheek. "Well, not exactly. Honestly, I haven't been able to talk to her alone for a while, now since I've been spending so much time with Papa."

Clover hummed as he thought for a moment. "Well, maybe you should tell her why you've been spending so much time with your pop. I'm sure she'll understand, even if she is upset with you. You guys are sisters, and there's nothing that can change that."

Sofia looked down and smiled softly her best bunny friend. "Thanks, Clover… I just hope she's ok." The pair continued walking and made their way to the observatory. When they got there, Sofia looked down at Clover, who gave her a smile and a thumbs up. Sofia took a deep breath and pushed the large door open.

The observatory was pitch black; Sofia could hardly see anything that was lit by the dim light the door allowed into the room. "Amber?" She called. Silence answered her, so dark and ominous, it sent a strange chill up her spine. Sofia instinctively grabbed her amulet, and closed the door hastily. Still clasping her necklace, Sofia's heart rate began to normalize, and she thought about where else her sister might be. "That's weird. Normally when Amber's not in her room, she's in here." Sofia crossed her arms and put one hand on her chin, thinking.

"Maybe she went to the jewel room? She does love jewels." Clover suggested.

"…I guess it's worth a try?"

"Why don't you head on over there, Sof. I'll check around the rest of the castle."

"Ok. Thanks, Clover." Sofia nodded and then headed in the opposite direction of her bunny friend, toward the jewel room. Sofia doubted she was there. Even though Amber was quite fond of tiaras and jewelry, she didn't find solace in them like she used to. Now, more often than not, Amber would be reading a book (mostly about stars), or she'd take an occasional fly with Saffron. Sofia had even heard her playing the harp again in recent days. Although, Amber still did love to revel in the decadent dresses and jewelry occasionally, so the jewel room might be a good place to look afterall.

Sofia was just about to turn the corner when Cedric came trudging around and almost ran into the princess. "Wahh! Princess Sofia!" exclaimed the sorcerer, fumbling awkwardly for a moment before righting himself.

"Mr. Cedric! What are you doing?" Sofia asked, surprised by his sudden appearance.

"Oh, I was just on my way to my to my lab." Cedric then frowned and eyed Sofia from behind his nose. "Why… What do you want?"

"I'm just looking for Amber. You haven't seen her, have you?" Sofia asked as she folded her hands hopefully.

"Oh, she's in the library. I just saw her there." Cedric pointed in the direction he just came from.

"Oh! Thank you Mr. Cedric!" Sofia grabbed his hand to show her gratitude.

Cedric smiled awkwardly. "Hmm, yes, of course. Now, run along. I've much work to do." He said, patting the princess's head with only the very tips of his fingers and then shooed her away with a swish of his hands.

Sofia smiled at the wizard's attempt at affection, and then rushed off down the hall to talk to her sister.

When Sofia got to the library, she paused at the doors. Taking a deep breath once again, she opened the door and walked into the huge open space. With the enormous walls all lined with books, it was easy to spot Amber upstairs on one of the tall ladders browsing the massive collection. As Sofia climbed the stairs, she watched her sister take one book at a time, flip through its pages, and then put it back where she found it.

"Amber?" Sofia called when she reached the top.

"Oh, Sofia. Hello." Amber glanced briefly down at Sofia but then resumed her task.

"Um, what are you looking for?" Sofia twiddled her fingers nervously.

"I'm looking for information about a constellation I saw this morning."

"This morning?" Sofia raised her eyebrow in confusion.

"On the giant star chart. I saw one that I hadn't seen before and I want to know what it is." Amber replied with a grunt as she hefted a particularly large book back onto the shelf.

"Oh, Really? What did it look like?" Sofia's interest piqued. Ever since Amber had discovered her star, she had studied the constellations and stars intensely; it was hard for the young girl to believe that there was one her sister didn't know about.

"It…" Amber had grabbed another book and flipped through the pages, then paused. She looked closer at the page she stopped on, then hastily shut the book on her pointer finger and climbed down the ladder. "It looked like this." She said holding up the book and pointing to an image on the page.

"An old man?"Sofia puzzled. She was fully expecting to see an elaborated representation of a constellation, but instead, she saw a portrait of an old, rather frighteningly thin man with a long scraggly beard. It seemed the only thing covering the bones in his face was the thin layer of wrinkled skin that drooped down so much, it pulled at the bottom of his eyelids. Despite his haggard appearance, his eyes, even in the drawing, shone with an uncanny darkness that made Sofia more uncomfortable the longer she examined the picture.

"It is strange isn't it?" Amber nodded before taking the book back and returning her gaze to the pages. She quietly thumbed through the book and scanned other pages before coming to a page that apparently caught her interest. Amber struggled to balance the book in one hand while she walked to a desk and set the book down with a loud thud. She then took her seat without removing her eyes from it, even once.

Sofia took two steps toward her sister and tried to peer over her shoulder, half trying to read what Amber was so engrossed in, and half trying to get her attention. After a few moments of being continuously ignored, Sofia came to a realization. _This is how Amber must be feeling since I've been spending most of my time with Papa! Oh no. I feel awful._ Sofia scooted closer to her sister and ever so lightly touched her shoulder.

Amber flinched and let out a tiny gasp turning to face her sister. "Yes, Sofia. What is it?" she asked, returning to her book. Although Amber's voice had been low and rather calm, it was tinged with the unmistakable presence of annoyance.

"Oh, um… N—nothing…I guess." Sofia wrung her hands together as her words came out somewhat broken.

Seeing her sister's distress, Amber sighed. She took a spare piece of paper and placed it inside the book. Finally, she turned around and faced Sofia trying to keep her expression neutral. "Obviously it isn't nothing. What's the matter, Sofia?"

"I…I wanted to apologize for this morning. I know you were really looking forward to spending some time together." Sofia said finally. Amber stayed quiet and looked at the floor. Seeing that the older girl wasn't going to respond right away, Sofia continued after a moment of silence.

"I also wanted to say I'm sorry for hardly spending any time together since my papa got here. I remember when I felt left out, like I didn't belong during Dads and Daughters day. I felt like, because I wasn't really related to you that I didn't really belong as part of your family… But then you and Dad reminded me that it doesn't matter if we're blood related or not, we're a family and there's nothing that can change that. I guess what I'm trying to say is that, even though I've been spending a lot of time with my papa lately, that doesn't make you any less of my sister, and I'm sorry if I made you feel left out, or like you didn't belong in my life. I never meant to do that, and I'll never, ever think of you as any less of my sister, no matter what happens."

Amber sighed heavily before looking up at her sister. "Sofia, I never thought you were any less than my sister either. I'm not even really mad at you for spending time with your real father… I just…" Amber paused and stared silently at the ground for a long moment, thinking about her next words carefully. Sofia waited patiently through the mildly torturous silence, and then Amber finally looked back up at her sister with a bittersweet, but lighthearted smile. "Just, don't reschedule our tea time again." She said simply.

Sofia sighed in relief and gave a small smile, "I won't, Amber, I promise."

Amber stood and the two shared a brief embrace. Then, Amber smiled at her sister. "When are you leaving for the Enchanted Animal Park?" she asked.

"Pretty soon. I should probably get going." Sofia said, somewhat sad to have to leave so soon after her heartfelt apology.

"Well, have fun then. Say hi to the pelicants for me." Amber smirked.

Sofia giggled. "Right, I will."

Amber waved at her younger sister as she scuttled out of the library and then turned her attention back to the book she had been reading. There was only a small paragraph about the pictured man that continued onto the next page, but when Amber turned the page, she realized there were two whole pages missing from the book. She fanned the pages of book, looking for loose pages that might have been stuck elsewhere, but to no avail. Amber furrowed her eyebrows and slumped back into her chair.

"Kashchey the Undying, huh? Who are you…?" Amber marked her page with a piece of paper and picked up the book. _I must go see Cedric about this tomorrow._ She thought to herself before going back to her room to prepare for her date with Clio and Hildegard.


	15. Chapter 15: Two: Kashchey

**Hello my dear readers! Really quick, I just have a note about the pronunciation** ** **:****

 **Kashchey ~ kashei (the e vowel at the end is very closed and sounds more like the long i sound)**

 **I'm kind of a stickler when it comes to accurately pronouncing things, and any Russian speakers who may be reading this story, feel free to critique the words I try and slip in here and there (though there are none in this chapter...) Anyway! Leave your comments in a review, they are always greatly appreciated. Enjoy!**

Chapter 15: Two: Kashchey

With her book in hand, Amber walked up to Cedric's lab and knocked on the door. The sound of shattering glass emanated from behind the door, followed by Cedric's distinctive outcry of, "Merlin's Mushrooms!" Heavy steps came close to the door before it opened revealing the court wizard wearing an expression of irritated exasperation.

"Oh, Princess Amber. What is it you want?" he huffed, looking down at her from behind his long nose.

"I'm looking for information on a man named, Kashchey the Undying." Amber said plainly.

Cedric nearly fell over as his entire body lurched in surprise. "Whatever do you want to know about _him_ for?" he asked, staring at the girl incredulously.

Amber looked around the corridor and made sure there was no one else around. There wasn't typically anyone around Cedric's gloomy corner of the castle, but she wanted to make sure before she spoke. "I think I saw him in the giant castle star chart that James and Sofia found not too long ago."

Cedric knit his eyebrows together and thinned his lips. "Alright then. Come in."

"Thank you, Cedric." Amber said as she entered the lab.

He ushered her into his lab, and closed the door behind them before turning his full attention to the girl. "Now, care to tell me exactly what you saw on that star chart, and what in Enchancia do you mean by, you saw him?"

Eager to get answers to her questions, Amber condensed the story as much as she could without leaving out important details. "Well, to make a long story short, the stars on the chart were glowing, so I closed the dome and turned off all the lights, then all the stars on the chart projected themselves all over the dome of the observatory, including Amberina Major, which I thought was strange because I only just discovered Amberina Major, how could it be on any old star charts? Then I touched it, and it pointed to a constellation that I had never seen before of this old man." Amber opened the book to her marked page and held up it up for Cedric to see. "There were only three stars that I could see, but the dust surrounding the three stars made a clear picture of this man when I looked at it from the correct angle."

Cedric blinked a few times, trying to process the rapid-fire story as he studied the illustration in the book. He skimmed over the text of the description of the picture and quickly realized that much of the story of Kashchey was missing from the following pages.

"So, let me get this straight. The enormous star chart in the observatory is magic, and it showed you this constellation of Kashchey the Undying by turning the observatory into a astrological map?"

Amber nodded. "Yes, precisely."

Cedric blinked twice, irritated with the girl's infuriating nonchalance. "And you want to know what it means." He stated with obvious irritation.

"Yes."

Cedric puzzled for a moment then rolled his eyes and sighed. "Very well. I believe the book I have on immortal legends is up here somewhere." He placed Amber's book on his desk and gave his wand a flick, causing three other books to float off the shelves and gently land on the desk.

The wizard opened the first of the three and hummed thoughtfully as he scanned through the pages. "Well, according to this work, Kashchey used to be a great warrior who committed treason and was exiled and cursed with immortality, but not eternal youth. Meaning he can still grow old, which is probably why he looks so dreadful in this illustration." Cedric cleared his throat as he read an excerpt from the book.

" _Kashchey was captain of the Imperial guard when he found he shared an attraction to the tsarina of Ledstrana. Letters from the two showed that their great affection was mutual and indeed quite intense. Tsar Ivan III prized his bride, Marja, daughter of King Gustav of Tavastia, and because of that, she was often able to sit in on all types of royal meetings, including those involving the military. It was during these meetings where she and Kashchey would be able to see each other face to face, though they could never interact personally. As their relationship progressed, Kashchey longed to meet with her outside of the meetings, and expressed his longing in his letters to her; and with reserved enthusiasm she accepted his request. Unfortunately for the two, a loyal messenger to the tsar, who had suspected the affair, intercepted Kashchey's letter and then reported it to the tsar. Ivan III, reluctant to accept his wife's infidelity, went to the secret meeting place of the two lovers to witness it for himself. When the two were caught at their secret meeting place, the tsarina claimed that Kashchey had been harassing her with letters for months; that he threatened her not to tell the Tsar, and the only way to make him stop was to meet him. Furious, the tsar immediately arrested Kashchey, and would have had him executed, but could not bring himself to do so because of their close friendship in arms. When the tsarina showed the letters she had received from Kashchey to the tsar, she claimed that she only ever refused his advances. Kashchey was sentenced to exile without a trial, and cursed with an experimental infertility spell._

"Ah, yes, now I remember." Said Cedric, closing the book and grabbing the second one from the small pile and began flipping through the pages. "I believe the nature of the spell is described in this book."

"That's horribly unfair. How could any ruler be so ruthless?"

"Indeed, it's quite tragic. But the sad truth is that many kings and queens are not like your father and mother when it comes to fairness."

Amber thought to herself while Cedric picked up the next book and began flipping through pages. "So, what did the spell do? Did it trap him in the stars or something?"

"I'm getting to that part." Cedric said as he flipped through a couple more pages, running his finger across the text of the page that he landed on, and then cleared his throat.

" _The spell was very temperamental, and therefor inexplicably gave him unnatural resistance to cold and heat. Able to withstand the harsh winter of Ledstrana easily, Kashchey wandered the frozen wasteland to the north of Ledstrana and found shelter in a cave, where he recorded his days and on the walls of the cave, and animal skins. He wished to die in the cold, but his body would never freeze. He went days without eating, but he was not hungry. There was one incident where a large boulder fell from a high mountain slope and was about to fall right on top of him, but when he put his hands up in sheer reflex, the boulder split in half and fell on either side of him. Still upset that his life would not end, Kashchey continued to the top of the mountain planning to end his life by jumping from the edge. However, as he was falling, the winds picked him up and slowed his fall so that when he hit the ground, it was as if he had merely tripped on a stone. Kashchey tried to end his life many times because of the severe loneliness he felt from the tsarina's rejection. But each time he did, the forces of nature seemed to work against him and prevent him from dying. Even after many months without eating, Kashchey was still alive. Although his body seemed to be wasting away, he felt as if he had more energy than ever before, and he slowly realized that he could control the elements around him. He could move and manipulate rocks, start a fire by merely snapping his fingers, melt the icy snow, and heat warm baths for himself. Slowly but surely, it was as if Kashchey himself was becoming the elements. During five years of solitude, Kashchey's heartbrokenness morphed into rage and a desire for revenge. He sought out the help of Baba Yaga, who was able to train him in the magic arts, which he gained mastery of in two short years. With his newfound power, he was determined to seek revenge on the tsarina who denied him. Using his powers of the wind, he flew to the Imperial castle, and kidnapped the young tsarina trying to bring her back to his castle. In an attempt to escape, the tsarina found a large, sharp rock and threw it at Kashchey, causing him to bleed profusely. If not for Kashchey's mastery of magic, he would have certainly perished. He retreated from the castle immediately, unused to the feeling of fear of death he and swore he'd return for Ivan's bride. It is unknown just how Kashchey truly became deathless, but it is rumored that after retreating back to his castle, he spent years developing a spell to separate his soul from his body, so that he could only be truly killed if someone released his soul from its keeping place. It is still a mystery how he developed this magic, and there are few who still search for it, but it is probably best if this type of magic stays a mystery._

"That's all for this book." Said Cedric, closing the book.

Amber puzzled for a moment, scanning over the text of the book before speaking. "So do you think because he was became very close to the elements, he was able to eventually make a constellation of himself in the stars?"

"Well, in a way, yes. The last time he was defeated, his soul very nearly got destroyed, that's what this last book explains. In summary, after he trapped his soul on an unknown island, he went back and kidnapped the tsarina and kept her in his castle until she took her own life. The whole story is quite sad, and I do apologize for all the talk of death, but what can you expect from a man with the name 'Kashchey the Deathless? He spent centuries in his castle and would steal young women, typically those who were just married, and keep them as his prisoners. That is until he kidnapped a princess by the name of Vasilia of Ledstrana, who was also a gifted mage. She escaped and tried to return to her husband, but Kashchey got to him first and killed him. When Vasilia found this out, she challenged him and the two fought for two days straight. Kashchey retreated into the stars to regain his power, and left Vasilia severely wounded. If Baba Yaga hadn't found her, she would have surely died as well. According to most history of magic books, that happened just about 100 years ago." Cedric finished.

Amber furrowed her eyebrows and picked up the last book in the pile. "So that constellation must have appeared when that woman, Vasilia was her name? It must have appeared when she defeated him… but I looked in all the astronomy books in the library and found nothing about the stars I saw on the map. I even checked back on the giant star chart and none of them were there either. It doesn't make any sense. If the constellation existed a hundred years ago, someone would have discovered it by now, right?"

Cedric touched his chin and Hines thoughtfully. "Perhaps, but magic is a mysterious thing, many things about Kashchey are still unknown to magicologists even today."

Amber moved her lips to one side of her mouth and skimmed over the text, trying to make sense of the puzzle. "Cedric, do you think I could borrow these books?" She asked after a brief moment.

"Well, I suppose. These are just history of magic books after all, there are no spells in them. I guess it wouldn't do any harm." Replied the wizard.

"Thank you Cedric." said the princess gathering up the books.

"Princess," Cedric said just before she was about to open the door. "I know you saw this image in the star map, and I share your curiosity as a wizard, but why do you want to know so much about this… undead man?"

Amber turned over her shoulder and furrowed her eyebrows. "I just have a feeling… I don't know why, but I can't shake the feeling that something bad is going to happen to Sofia." Amber turned around to fully face Cedric, determination flashing in her eyes. "I know that most adults think that I'm just biased against Birk, and maybe that's true to some extent, but I just get this weird feeling every time he's around and… This morning in the observatory, when I saw that old man, when I saw Kashchey, I got the same feeling...I don't know why, and I don't know if they're related or not, but Sofia is in danger and I'm going to figure out why."

Cedric watched her with his head cocked to the side and his eyes ever so slightly narrowed, listening intently. "You know princess, you are not the only one who feels that way. I too have had my suspicions about that man. If you find anything enlightening, please do let me know."

Amber's eyes widened a bit, not expecting that kind of response at all, before a small smile tugged at the corner of her lip. "Really? Thank you, Cedric. I'll make sure you let you know of I find anything."

"You're welcome, Princess Amber." Cedric said as he opened the door and ushered the young princess out. Amber cast one last smile at the sorcerer before exiting the room and saying her thanks once again. Despite the gnawing feeling that something bad was still going to happen, she felt better knowing that someone else was on her side.


	16. Chapter 16: One: Flight

**Hello again! Sorry it took a a little while to update, I promise I'll try and get chapters out on a more regular basis. Sundays are my best days to update, so I'll aim for those. For the most part, in this chapter, any foreign language that pops up is immediately translated, but if something is unclear, just let me know in a review and I'll fix it.  
Also, if there are any Russian speakers out there reading this, I'd really appreciate some feedback on how I'm using your language.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 16: One: Flight**

Wind whispered high in the sky through the black night. Faint lights in the villages down below glowed a soft yellow as the last of the villagers made their way into their homes to rest. Far off in the distance stood a large castle alone in a large cove that was a few miles inland. The waters were calm, as the wind and current swept up gentle eddies. There was a single bridge that lead to the front gates; a fairly advantageous position, well guarded from ground and sea attacks. However, judging by the placement of each guard, covert air infiltration would be relatively simple. Swiftness and stealth were two things in which Zeleny the cikavac prided himself.

The massive avian creature fast approached the castle, a mere speck from his vantage point, but obviously grandiose. He folded his wings to his sides, tilting forward until he was in a free-fall. Wind gushed through the feathers on top of his head and pressed them down to his skull as he pulled his neck closer to his body, slicing through the thin air. He fell, speed increasing every second; soon enough he would be at the castle. Until now, he had flown slowly and leisurely, conserving his strength. When he flew at a regular pace, he nearly matched the speed of the fastest pegasus in all the lands, but when he flew at his top speed, he was almost twice as fast; and that's just when he used his own wing power. When he dove into a free-fall he was like an arrow slung from a recurve bow.

When he came to the outskirts of the town around the castle, he opened up his wings slowly, allowing himself to decelerate. He then pivoted his wings up, catching a gust of wind that took him high into the air. He circled the castle thrice before slowing down enough to look for a suitable place to land. Guards were posted at every entrance to the castle, and all of the windows that were large enough for him to fit through were closed. A low growl emanated from his throat as he scrutinized the castle, studying the guards' movements. After doing one more loop around, he came to perch on the highest tower where a lightning rod was placed. Zeleny kept his eyes scanning the guards' routes where they were patrolling and took note of when blind spots would appear.

The cikavac stretched his wings and silently glided down closer to where the two guards were marching back and forth. Hidden in the shadow of one of the towers, he dug his claws into the cement pillar. If he had not been instructed to remain as inconspicuous as possible, he would have grabbed one of the guards and thrown him off the balcony to make for a distraction, that way, he would have had two less sets of eyes searching for anomalies. However, it was of utmost importance that his presence remained completely unnoticed.

Zeleny made a break for it when the guard turned back toward the castle. He released his claws from the cement and circled around the back of the castle, looking carefully in each dark window. The faint glow of candlelight suddenly illuminated one of the windows as he passed, to reveal a young girl with mousy brown hair and a blue nightgown. He perched on a nearby tower and watched her as she paced around the room. There was a faint blue light emanating from near her chest. The Amulet of Avalor. Though he had been spying on the girl for some time now, he never quite got over the power he could feel emanating from the object. He also came to know that when the amulet glowed blue, it was a way for the bond between amulet and wielder to grow stronger; Vasilia had told him that they had to weaken the bond just enough so that she would be able to receive it when the time came. There were a number of times he had successfully prevented her from going, and he could tell by the way the slight change in the girl's behavior that the time was approaching. So long as he prevented her from answering this last call of the amulet, Vasilia would have her prize. The massive bird swooped down toward her window and plunged his steel-like talons into the cement a few feet above it, making a loud thudding crack. As he planned, the startled little girl came to her window, disregarding the call of the amulet, and opened it up as she looked for what caused the noise. Zeleny put on his most charming smile and cleared his throat of its normal growl before swooping down to hover in front of the little girl.

"Privetstviye, Printsessa." He said bowing his head.

The girl let out a startled scream and recoiled from her window.

"Prostite. I apologize, I did not mean to startle you." He said, his deep voice smooth, like rich dark chocolate.

"Who—who are you?" she asked taking a timid step toward the massive jet-black bird.

"Izvinite! How rude of me, I am Zeleny the cikavac at your service. My dear friend, Wormwood told me of your ability to speak to animals, but I had to see it for myself. I apologize that I have arrived so late, but I was in the area and was just stopping by to see my old friend when he spoke of you. I was so astounded that I flew up here straight away. Sorry for the scare."

"Oh, i-it's ok." Sofia stuttered as unconscious fear gripped her heart.

"Oh dear, it seems I have given you quite a fright. I'm afraid it is this form, you see. I was cursed by a sorceress to only inspire fear in the hearts of those who are near to me. A truly dreadful sentence for a bird like me who only wishes to give people the desires of their hearts. Would you mind if I perched on your windowsill? I have had a terribly long flight, and my wings are aching."

"Of course." Sofia said nodding shakily.

Zeleny smiled and perched on the sill, gracefully furling up his wings. He cleared his throat once again to prepare his eloquent delivery of a cleverly crafted lie. "You see, I was part of a family of Zapros stado—wishing birds, if you will—one hundred strong, of all sorts of colors. Each bird with a particular set of wishes they could fulfill. I was of the leader of the Beloye ptitsy, the ivory birds, which would heal people from injuries, grant them peace, and cleanse them from evil spells if I saw them in need. However, one day, a little more than three months ago, Vasilia the Sorceress took me, and many of my brethren from our tree and locked us in cages in hopes of making us grant her wishes. Without our tree to recharge us, we grew weak, and Vasilia destroyed my brothers and cursed me to roam in this form, a cikavac. I pleaded with her to have mercy on me, and she graciously did, saying that if I was able to find the cure for the curse in three months, I would return to my brethren. But if not, I would remain a cikavac forever. I fled immediately and found my dear friend, Annissa the Amiable, and she told me there was an amulet powerful enough to break my curse before the time is up. True, I do have terribly awesome power, as I now have the power to grant all wishes. But whenever I am near people, they flee from me, and I am unable to grant their wishes. It has made for a most lonely existence indeed. And I long to return to my hundred brethren in our tree."

Sofia stayed nearly frozen stiff, but managed to find compassion for this frightening creature. "Ss-so, you really don't like to ss-scare people?"

"'Tis true, dear Printsessa. But this curse. If only there were a way to lift this dreaded curse from my weary wings." The cikavac moped.

Sofia stepped toward the creature, though she could hardly feel her legs, and looked at him sadly at him. "I-I'm sorry. Th-there must be s-some way. I-is there anything I can d-do to help?"

Zeleny looked at her with expertly crafted false hope. "You would help me?"

"Of-Of course, any friend of W-Wormwood's is a f-friend of mine." She managed to squeak out.

"Oh, dear Printsessa Sofia, I am very grateful for your assistance. Da nu! Is that the fabled Amulet of Avalor?" marveled the cikavac, eyeing the delicate chain around her neck.

Sofia instinctively put her hand around the amulet. "Y-yes."

"Oh! Ya spasen! I am saved! Perhaps if you could lend me your amulet's powers, my curse might be broken!"

"I'm not s-supposed to take it off." Sofia said, furrowing her brow.

"Oh, dear one. You need not take it off. There are many mysteries about the amulet still, but its power is greater than you know. I would just need you to accompany me on a short trip, to an enchantress who would be able to use some of the restorative magic inside the amulet to set me free from this curse. It need never leave your neck." Said the bird, placing a wing over his chest in deceptive honesty.

Sofia thought for a moment. "H-how long would I be gone?"

"Oh, no more than a day. It is quite the quick trip."

"A whole day? I-I can't leave for that long, Mom and Dad would wonder where I've gone!"

Zeleny feigned despair. "Oh, I see. I really hoped we could leave now. You see, at noon the day after tomorrow, I'm afraid this curse will become permanent. It is a half a day's flight to Ledstrana, and if I hurried, I could have you back before suppertime tomorrow. But I understand. I was a fool to think someone would help me." He unfurled his massive wings, preparing to take off, when Sofia called after him.

"Wait!"

He turned around, looking at her with the saddest eyes he could muster.

"You said Ledstrana?"

"Da, printsessa. You know the cold country?"

"Well, not exactly, but my papa is from there. And his wife and two children, my siblings are there."

Zeleny gasped and mustered his most urgent and concerned voice. "Oh, dear! You! Of course! How could I have forgotten! Birk is your father, yes?"

Sofia jerked her head back in shock, and furrowed her eyebrows. "H-how do you know my papa?" she asked, panic beginning to rise.

"Oh, dear printsessa. I'm afraid I cannot tell you exactly, but that witch Vasilia has taken his wife and children! I saw them being taken to the dungeon after she cursed me!"

"What!" Sofia's terror rose to new heights. Now she was sure, there was no way she could stay here. She had to do something to help her family.

"Oh dear, I should not have opened my beak!"

"Th-there must be some way to save them!" Sofia exclaimed.

Zeleny nodded seriously. "Da, printsessa. The sorceress I will take you to can unlock the power of your amulet, so that she may be able to defeat Vasilia!"

Sofia furrowed her brow and bit the inside corner of her lip. "Then I have to go. W-wait right here. I-I'll be back."

A sinister smile spread across the cikavac's beak as he watched the gullibly compassionate girl run out of her bedroom.

In her dash out of her room, she bumped into her sister, Amber.

"Ouch! Sofia, are you okay?" asked the older girl.

"Oh, uh, yeah. I just—"

"You look like you've just seen a ghost. Are you sure you're alright? I heard you cry out a few minutes ago." Amber said touching her sister's forehead.

"Yes. Amber, I'm fine…" She had to let someone know why she was leaving. She at least had to tell her papa that they needed go to Ledstrana together. Zeleny said he was really short on time. It's not like she had very many options at this point. "Ok. Listen. I uh, I'm going to Ledstrana with my papa. Tonight." She half-lied.

Amber's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "Tonight!? Sofia, what are you talking about? It's nearly ten!"

"I know. But there's something urgent that's come up, and we have to leave now." Sofia said quickly motioning for Amber to keep her voice down.

"Sofia, this sounds crazy, what could be so urgent?"

"Printsessa Sofia? We really must get going." Sofia whipped her head around in shock as Zeleny's smooth, dark voice came from behind the door.

"Sofia, who in the world is in your room this late?" Amber said putting one hand on her hip and the other motioning to the door.

"No one! Wait, you heard that?" Sofia asked, suddenly realizing her sister understood the animal as well.

"Of course I did. Now, you have to explain to me what's going on!" the older girl pushed passed her sister and tried to open the door, but Sofia got in her way. "Sofia! Open the door!" she demanded as the two girls struggled against each other.

"No! Wait! I c-can ex-plain." Sofia grunted. Her sister's new involvement in physical activities had made her a lot stronger; and though Sofia was still stronger all around, the fear she felt lingered and handicapped her.

"Really? Can you? Because I'd like- to hear what- you have- to say!" Just as Amber finished her labored sentence, she grasped the door handle and pushed with all of her strength. The two girls tumbled on the floor of Sofia's room in a heap as the door swung back towards them. Amber put her arm out to stop the door and got up off her sister, dusting herself off. "Honestly, Sofia. What in Enchancia has gotten into—" Amber froze. It was the bird from her dream. Her mouth trembled trying to form words, but all that came out was staggered breaths and nearly silent whimpers.

Sofia hastily got up as the muted fear that gripped her heart returned in full force. "Uh, Amber? T-this is Z-zeleny. He n-needs my help." she meant to speak plainly, but her voice came out as little more than a whisper.

"My word, to be in the presence of dve printsessy at the same time! Truly, it is an honor!" the cikavac put on his most charming smile, which truly was quite appealing. He was a handsome, albeit positively terrifying bird. The part that he inspired fear in the hearts of those who were near him was true, though he never thought of it as a curse. And he certainly could grant people's wishes, he merely chose to carry out the will of Vasilia alone, as she was the one who hatched him from his egg long ago.

"My deepest apologies, Printsessa Amber. It seems my curse has frightened the very breath from you. I assure you, this is not my intent. Dear Printsessa Sofia here has graciously agreed to accompany me to break this awful curse and free Mr. Balthazar's family. I appreciate you allowing her to come with me."

Sofia looked up at Zeleny and nodded resolutely, trying to keep from trembling. There was no time to waste; her family was in danger and she needed to leave now or Amber would tell Mom and Dad, then she'd be stuck. She would make sure to have Zeleny pick up Papa on the way. Sofia donned her long red cape and found herself able to move toward the bird, despite her terror.

Everything in Amber screamed to stop her sister form going near the dangerous bird. "S-S-S-S-Sofia, d-don't!" she murmured as loud as she could.

The shorter brunette turned around and took her sister's trembling hands in her own. "Amber, there's no time to explain, I have to go! Papa's family is in danger, and I can help them!"

Tears formed in Amber's eyes. Now that she was no longer staring at the massive avian creature, her voice began to return. "Sofia, how do you know what he says is even true? Isn't it too big of a coincidence?"

"Amber, the way I see it, how could all of these coincidences line up unless it were true?"

"No! You can't go! I'm not going to let you go!" Amber whispered a scream.

The cikavac peered at the blonde from behind Sofia and looked her dead in the eyes. The world around her disappeared, and all she could see were the two ruby orbs of his eyes, piercing through her as the deep, rumbling voice she heard in her dream spoke. "Printsessa Amber, if we are to stop the rebirth of Kashchey, then you must let Sofia come with me."

Amber's head swirled back to reality, the room came back into view, and Sofia's worried face was looking expectantly at her. "Amber? I know it's scary, but I have no other choice. I have to go."

Amber tried to speak, to scream, to move. She couldn't. She just stood there trembling in the gaze of the cikavac unable to even hold on to her beloved sister's hands. Sofia slipped her hands out of her grip and walked over to the giant bird who was nearly twice the smaller girl's height. He turned around and allowed the young girl to climb up onto his back. Amber felt the use of her limbs return for a brief second as she reached out toward her sister in a last-ditch attempt to keep her from leaving; but the bird took off with a single immense beat of his wings. The gust of wind it generated was so strong that it knocked her over, and she fell onto her seat on the hard tile floor. She scrambled up and ran to the window, ignoring the sharp pain that went up her spine. She watched through bleary tears as her little sister and the massive bird flew off at an unbelievable pace.

"SOFIAAAAA!" The scream was bloodcurdling. It rang throughout the whole castle, penetrating the silence of the peaceful houses nearest the castle like the echo of a distant ghost. A few lights turned on at the disturbance, and some men came out of their houses to see where the sound came from. They then returned back to their homes after a short while when the silence of the night returned. Amber watched as the flying black figure skyrocket upward and away, high into the sky until it vanished.


	17. Chapter 17: Mobilization

**Hello readers! Sorry it has taken me so long, but here's another chapter! I realize I haven't really been doing this, but I don't own Sofia the First or any of the characters associated with it. I do own Vasilia, Zeleny, Vlad, and Birk's family. Drop a review if you like the story! Or if you don't like it, please feel free to tell me what I could make better.  
Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 17: Mobilization**

In the coolness of sleepless nights, Birk had grown a habit of strolling around town to ease his mind. He typically went back earlier than this, but he'd come to realize that the more reasonable hour he returned to bed, the harder it was for him to get to sleep. As the last of the lights in people's houses were going out, Birk looked up at the stars and noticed a pitch-black figure plummeting through the sky. At first he thought it was a flying horse, but he soon realized that it was moving far too fast. Birk squinted at the shape as it hurtled toward the outskirts of town. It disappeared behind the horizon of the town and then shot up into the sky. Headed straight for the castle, it soared high overhead. Though the shape was small due to its distance from the ground, Birk knew what, or more accurately, who that creature was. He then remembered the chilling voice that spoke to him from that accursed locket just a couple days ago. _"If you are not back by sundown on the third day, I will take matters into my own hands."_

"Damn it! How could I have been so stupid?" Birk took off running toward the castle, trying to follow the dark bird, though it was now so high in the sky he could barely see it. "I've got to try and get there before he finds Sofia! Damn that witch! I'm such a fool! I got so caught up with spending time with Sofia…" Birk slowed to a jog and then gradually to a disparaged walk, as his legs grew heavy with regret. "Had I so easily forgotten about them? My wife, my children? What kind of father forgets so easily?" Tears formed in the man's eyes as he stopped in the middle of the road and buried his face in the sleeve of his coat. "Damn it! I'm a failure of a husband and father, twice now! Serves me right! I never deserved to have a family in the first place!" He fell to his knees and wept in the street. His quiet lament echoing off the darkened houses, as only a few streetlights illuminated his sobbing form.

"Mr. Balthazar?" A voice sounded behind him. It sounded familiar, but he couldn't place exactly who it was.

"Mr. Balthazar, what's wrong?" said the voice, a small pale hand gently touching his shoulder. Birk flinched away from the touch and began wiping his face. He heard a sad sigh escape from the person. "I ken it may not be my business, but I just cannae sit by and watch someone cry alone in the street."

That accent. Birk wiped his eyes and glanced to his side. Tight, curly blonde locks cascaded down near his shoulder and he looked up to see a familiar, young, round face with rosy cheeks. "Marjorie?" he asked incredulously.

"Aye." She smiled, revealing the small dimple on her right cheek.

"What are you doing here?" He sniffed.

"I was on my way back to the inn from visiting a friend o' mine. What are yeh doin' out here in the street all by your lonesome?" She asked, offering him a hand to stand up.

Birk accepted her hand, but gave her a stern look in response to her question. The girl returned a stern look of her own. "Begging yer pardon, but yeh cannae very well expect someone not to ask what's wrong when they find yeh cryin' in the street."

Birk's expression softened sadly as he looked back up at the sky. The massive bird was now circling the castle in a wide radius. "I just… It's useless. I came here to try and patch things up with family from my past, and ended up putting my present family in danger."

"Sounds like yeh've got yerself mixed up in some mighty complicated spy business if you ask me."

Birk just looked at her and scoffed a smile. "Something like that."

"Beggin' yer pardon, but I couldn't help but overhear. Yeh said yeh failed them?"

"Yeah." He said, his voice showing more frustration now than sadness.

Marjorie looked at him sadly, raising an eyebrow. "Is there really nothing else you can do?"

"There's no way I'd make it in time." He scoffed.

"So what I'm hearin' is that there is still time." She said, looking at him with a glimmer of hope in her eye.

Birk furrowed his brow and looked at her with pain in his eyes. "That's a nice sentiment, Marjorie, but there's nothing I can do now. Everything is ruined." He said shoving his hands into his coat pockets.

"Well, of course it's aff to be with that kind o' what yeh think!" Marjorie said with a scowl on her face.

"What would you know about it?" Birk snapped.

"I ken that yeh have to fight for family no matter what! Even when everything is fallin' apart, yeh do yer best to make it work, and yeh dinnae give up on them!"

Birk relaxed his shoulders and thought silently about the statement for a moment. He then looked back up at the sky. The avian blob was still circling the castle. After another few seconds, he took his hands out of his pockets and turned his gaze back to the girl, his eyes now filled with determination and resolve. "You're right, Marjorie. There may not be a lot of time, but I've got to do something." He smiled at her and gave her a two-finger salute on his forehead as he started jogging away. He had only taken a few steps before he turned around. "Oh, Marjorie? Thank you. For Everything." He said.

Marjorie nodded in pleasant surprise and gave him another big smile as she waved. Then watched him as he ran off in the direction of the castle.

Cries of panic and anguish emanated from the castle. Miranda furiously paced back and forth, Rowland was too distraught and confused to move, Amber cried hysterically, and James stood in shock when he discovered the reason for his sister's horrific scream. The rest of the castle guards and servants chatted amongst themselves, hypothesizing about rumors that began to spread among them about just how the Princess was kidnapped.

It did not take long before the queen ordered a search party to be sent out. While the King was still trying to comprehend exactly what happened, Miranda suited up to join the search party. James pleaded to go with her, and once Amber had gotten a hold of herself, she too wanted to help. "No. Sofia was just taken, and you two expect me to let you risk your own lives? No. Not a chance. You stay here where it's safe." Was the answer she gave. The twins shared a glance before giving their mother one last hard look and then ran off in the direction of their rooms.

Miranda narrowed her eyes as she watched the twins disappear behind a corner. She knew that look; she never really liked that look. "Roland, would you please keep an eye on them? I have a feeling they're going to want to come after us whether we like it or not." She said gravely.

"I believe you're right." Roland said, giving his wife a nod and then went after the twins.

Miranda planned to send out at least five small search teams, one at a time, each composed of 12 men. With time being of the essence, these smaller groups would cover more ground and did not take as long to organize. The first team was sent out less than 20 minutes after they heard Sofia was missing while the rest of the teams gathered in front of the castle to receive their orders from the Queen herself.

"Attention! Section Two, your job is to find Birk Balthazar! He is staying at Graham's Grantham in town. You are to retrieve him and bring him straight here! On this sheet of paper is the address." Miranda was about to hand a piece of paper to the Corporal of the Section, when a young guard with a passenger on horseback came riding up through the formation of soldiers.

"Your Majesty, Mr. Balthazar has just arrived. He said he had urgent business with you, so I brought him as quickly as I could." Announced the boy.

Miranda jerked her head around just in time to see her former husband dismount the horse. Though bewildered and enraged, she thanked the private and sent him on his way before turning her fury on the man. "Birk! What is going on! How did you know to come so soon? I was just about to send for you! Why did a giant bird take Sofia away? Is your family really in danger? Tell me now!" She shouted, stomping over to him, her face burning red.

Birk automatically put his hands up as a reflex. "Okay! I will! I need to answer one question at a time though!"

"You better have a damn good explanation for this." She growled as she stepped right up to his face.

"I'm not sure how good it's going to be, but I can explain." He said sinking his head into the collar of his coat.

"Start talking!" Miranda yelled, restraining herself from raising her fist. Birk flinched in anticipation of her wrath, but composed himself and began explaining shakily.

"My family is in danger, yes. They are in Ledstrana, being held captive by a witch named Vasilia. That bird is her right hand. She wants Sofia's amulet. I don't know what for, but she sent me to get it. She took my family for ransom so I would get the amulet, but I couldn't deliver it to her because I couldn't bring myself to take it from Sofia. I know it's awful, but I swear that I really did want to get to know Sofia, I tried to put off getting the amulet as long as possible, that's why I asked you if Sofia could come with me to Ledstrana. The amulet won't work unless the owner gives it freely to the one who wishes to use it. It was the only way I could think to do it without having to trick Sofia, but I guess that doesn't really matter now." Birk breathed deeply as he finished his explanation and looked at Miranda with expectant fear. All through his explanation, she had watched him with seething hatred, like a fire burning behind her dilated pupils.

"I should have known there was another reason behind you coming back." She growled.

"I swear, Miranda, I was forced! Vasilia has my wife, Anya, and my two children captive! The only way for her to let them go was for me to get Sofia's amulet! I'm sorry!"

Miranda clenched her jaw and blinked hard as she exhaled heavily. "Damn it, Birk! Why couldn't you have just said so in the first place!?" the intensity in her voice escalated as tears formed in her eyes.

"I would have if I could, but Vasilia was watching me. This was supposed to be a covert operation. All I needed to do was come here, get the amulet, and leave. But I wanted to try and reconcile with you, and with Sofia, and it took me too long. That's why Vasilia has taken matters into her own hands. It's my fault, so I'm sorry. I've failed you yet again." Birk said, lowering his head in shame. Miranda stood in brooding silence for a moment, and then turned her attention back to Birk.

"Do you know where Sofia is being taken?" Miranda asked, her voice low and trembling.

"Yes. She will be taken to Vasilia's castle in Ledstrana. The Castle of the Three Sisters. My wife and children are in the lower dungeon, my guess is that she'll take Sofia there."

Though she was still enraged at the entire situation, instead of seething at Birk, Miranda's anger was now directed at the witch who caused this entire mess. "Listen to me, Birk. I get why you did what you did, and though I'm furious, I'm also glad to see that you would go so far to try and save your family. You did what you had to, it's not your fault. Whoever this Vasilia woman is, it's her fault. Now, you need to help me find my daughter, and we need to free your family. Sure you may have done some pretty terrible things in the past, but that doesn't matter now. What matters is finding Sofia, and you are the only one who can help us do that." She finished. Birk looked up at her and nodded with a stern smile, then Miranda turned around and walked up the steps of the castle to address the platoon of soldiers gathered in the courtyard.

"Change of plan men! Mr. Balthazar here is our intelligence for this rescue mission. We are going to the Castle of the Three Sisters in Ledstrana. Lieutenant, send your fastest flying horseman to the section ahead and tell them the exact location and new plans."

"Tell them to wait on the east side of the castle about three kilometers out. This team should go to the south." Birk interjected. Miranda looked at him questioningly. "Vasilia has few armed forces, but she is a very powerful sorceress. If we can take her by surprise on all sides, we might be able to cause a distraction and sneak in another team to retrieve Sofia and my family."

Miranda raised her eyebrows in surprise, but nodded once and turned back to the platoon. "Here is our strategy! The next three sections that are to be sent out are to meet at each corner of the castle. Section One will take East, Section Two-South, Three-West, and Four-North. Section Five will come from the south and rendezvous with Section Two. Once Section Five is in place, Section two will set off a flare to signal the attack. Section Five will then infiltrate the castle and retrieve Sofia, as well as two other children and a woman from the dungeon! Did you get all of that, Lieutenant?"

"Yes ma'am! Private Taylor!" The man at the front of the company saluted, then immediately after, another voice from the group of soldiers rang out.

"Aye sir!" He was a young man with a slender build and not even an inkling of facial hair. Miranda had seen him in derby races before though. He was one of the best flyers in the army, and the only one who could tame Volo, their fastest, most stubborn pegasus.

"Relay the new plans to Section One!" The Lieutenant yelled. Private Taylor saluted, broke rank and then took off on the chocolate brown horse with the utmost of speed.

Miranda turned back to the troops and continued her instructions. "As Mr. Balthazar said, this section will go south of the Castle of the Three Sisters. You will stay there and rendezvous with Section Five. Once we get there, give the signal to start the attack. We'll then be able to infiltrate the castle and save Sofia and Mr. Balthazar's wife and children. While this witch Vasilia does not have many armed forces, keep in mind she will have very powerful magic, so be prepared to face whatever spells she may throw our way. If things get messy, remember that your job is only to distract her so we can retrieve the hostages, then retreat. I trust that you all will carry out this mission to the best of your capabilities. Goodwyn the Great and Winnifred the Wise have offered their aid and have been working with Cedric to provide us with remedies. They have been sending down vials in supply baskets as fast as they can, so make sure to take some in your packs if you haven't already. They may be vital in the battle we can expect to break out. Stay vigilant, stay away from the witch, and don't get killed. Godspeed, men." Miranda finished her speech by standing at attention and saluting the men. A massive synchronized shout rang out among the troops as they returned the gesture. Immediately, Section Two readied for takeoff, as the rest of the sections were still preparing weapons, and packing supplies into their large packs.

Birk turned to Miranda and looked at her in with a crooked, dumbfounded grin.

"What?" she sneered.

"Oh, it's nothing. You're just commanding an army is all." He shrugged, the corners of his lips turning down in an awkward effort not to smile.

Miranda's eyes narrowed as she faced him. "Now is not the time for your witty remarks, Mr. Balthazar." She said, her voice dripping with venom at the mention of his name.

Birk cleared his throat and bobbed his head once. "Uh, right. Sorry." He looked down and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I was just making an observation." He mumbled to himself, pawing the ground with his shoe.

"What?" Miranda snapped at him with a derisive glare.

"Oh, nothing!" Birk said, putting his hands up in surrender.

Miranda breathed deeply through her nose, clenching her jaw before taking a threatening step toward him. "I may understand that you did what you had to do, but that doesn't take away from the fact that you put my family at risk."

Birk jerked his head back at the sudden hostility. Granted, he could pull back on the witty comments, but this was just uncalled for.

"Hang on, _I_ put your family at risk? I'm sorry, did you forget about the part where there's an insane _witch_ out to destroy both of our families? Didn't you just say that it wasn't my fault? I was trying to keep this form happening. Oh and, need I remind you, _Your Majesty_ , that my family has been locked up in a dungeon, probably starving to death for the last month because of that maniac, and I was completely powerless to stop it unless I came here! So yeah, I'm the one who you should be mad at right now. Definitely not the insane witch who's the one who took your daughter, and my family in the first place!" Birk threw his hand up in the air and grunted in aggravation as he continued with his heated verbal defense.

"I also want to remind you that Sofia is my daughter too! I know how much you hate it, but that's how it is! Miranda, you think I wanted this to happen? You think I wanted to be blackmailed into stealing something from Sofia? You think I wanted to come here and stir up trouble in your new royal life? I didn't. I wanted to make amends yes, but I wouldn't have come in the first place if the fate of my family didn't depend upon it. Just a second ago, you said that Vasilia was the one to blame. I took that to mean we are on the same side. I know you still hate me, and that's fine. But right now we've got a bigger problem on our hands! The lives of our loved ones are at stake, and if we don't start working together as a team they will more than likely die." He finished gazing sternly into his ex-wife's eyes.

Miranda clenched her jaw and held his gaze firmly. She told herself she wouldn't cry in front of him. She told herself that she'd never show him weakness again. But the silent tears threatening to drip from her eyes betrayed her. She swallowed hard to pull herself together, but couldn't find any words to say to him anymore. Instead she just stared at him, saying nothing.

The two stayed there in a silent standoff before one of the guards interrupted. "Your Majesty, Section Two has just taken off. Sections Three and Four are ready to depart."

"Thank you, Corporal. Send them off." She said glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. He saluted her, and then hurried back to his section, leaving the two still locked in a cold war.

Miranda knew he was right. She knew she had spoken hastily. Even as every fiber of her being wanted to reach out and strangle him, she knew she couldn't heap blame on his shoulders. However, she found herself unable to apologize to him with sincerity. She squared her shoulders and looked at him firmly. "You provide the intel, I provide the man power. Section Five is on the west side of the courtyard. I suggest you go over there and ask one of the soldiers to help you prepare." She said, then turned on her heel and walked swiftly into the castle.

As Roland walked through the halls towards the twins' rooms, he felt somewhat odd. He was not used to Miranda taking such a prominent roll in many affairs, especially ones concerning the military. He also felt strange because in the face of the current situation, he had almost completely frozen. When he heard Amber scream, and when she told them through broken sobs what had happened, his mind went completely blank. He felt powerless. Numb. How had he allowed something like this to happen, and in his own home nonetheless? The weight of inadequacy had crushed him, but after Miranda's first explosive reaction, she immediately called for a search team; and once Amber had calmed down just enough to tell them what she saw and what Sofia had said, Miranda called for four more search teams so they could cover more ground in the vast country of Ledstrana.

He came to Amber's room first and knocked courteously on the door before peeking his head in. He saw his eldest daughter quickly stuff an article of clothing into a small bag on her bed before she whipped herself around and tried to conceal the bag behind her.

"Oh, hi Daddy." She said quickly.

Roland eyebrows furrowed and his lips turned down into a disapproving frown as he stepped into her room. "Amber, you know you can't come with us, it's not safe."

Amber returned his look, though hers was tinted with an indignant pout. "Safe? With all due respect, Daddy, Sofia was just kidnapped in our own castle. Who's to say it couldn't happen again to James or me?"

He had to admit she did have a point, but that didn't change his view on the subject. "We are posting more guards at all around the castle. Your mother and I and the army will find Sofia and bring her back, and it will be better for you to stay here where you're well guarded."

Amber couldn't help but scoff and roll her eyes. "Daddy, guards surround the castle day and night and Sofia still got captured! What makes you think it would end up any different?"

"Amber, I see where you're coming from, I do. But how were our guards supposed to know to look for a bird? Now that we know what—"

"Trust me. If any one of the guards caught a glimpse of that creature, even from the sky, they would have known it was evil." Amber said, folding her arms.

Roland sighed, furrowing his brow deeper at his daughter. "And maybe you're right. But that doesn't change our answer."

"Ugh! I can't believe you just expect me to sit here! What if you're too late, what if something worse happens to her? What if this is the last time I'll see her?"

"Amber, it's not going to come to that. I promise."

"How can you promise something that's not in your control?" Amber protested.

Roland sighed again and looked down at her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You're right. I can't know how it's going to end. But if I know anything about Sofia, it's that she's going to stay strong and do whatever she can to make sure she comes back to us."

Amber's upper lip twitched into a snarl and slapped his hand away. "How can you say that? How can you have so much confidence that something terrible isn't going to happen?" she exclaimed.

"Because I believe in Sofia."

"Right, because if we just believe in her, everything will work out just fine and nothing bad will ever happen!" She said rolling her eyes.

"Do not use that tone of voice with me!" Roland scolded, pointing a finger in her face.

"Don't make promises you can't keep!" Amber exclaimed, thrusting her hand away from her body in shameless defiance.

Roland's anger flared. "You may be willing to put yourself at risk, but I am not! You are staying here in this castle, and that's final!"

"No! I will not sit around idly while Sofia is in danger! She would do the same if it were me!"

Roland clenched his jaw. Getting in a yelling match with Amber never went over well. He had to find a way to deescalate the situation before she tried to escape the castle out of pure spite. "Tell me then, what would you do if we did allow you to come? How would you help?" he said, speaking lowly with narrowed eyes.

"I'm sure I'd find something useful to do. I'm not just a little kid anymore, father!" she spat scornfully.

"Your age is not the issue here, Amber! It's a matter of your safety. Your mother and I will not lose two children in one day." His tone was dark and commanding; his gaze, piercing.

Amber stared up at him and clenched her jaw as her lip twitched and her nostrils flared, threatening to reveal the sneer on her face. Silence hung in the air for a moment like a thick fog as Amber chose her next words carefully. "Fine. You won't lose another child." She said, her expression unwavering.

Roland let his shoulders relax slightly as he regarded his daughter. "So you're staying at the castle?" He stated for clarification.

"That is what you said, Father." Amber said, her gaze fixated on him.

The king held her gaze and took her hands in his. "Promise me you'll stay here, where it's safe."

"I promise to stay where it's safe." The princess replied, not allowing her eyes to move from his.

Roland nodded at his daughter and then brought her into a hug. "Good."

Amber lifted her arms and weakly put them around her father's waist, not truly returning the hug. Just as Roland released her, a soldier jogged past the door before circling back.

"King Roland." The man saluted. It was the Captain of the Royal Guard.

Roland turned and faced the man. "Yes?"

"Permission to speak, sir?"

Roland took one last hesitant look at his daughter, who still regarded him with the same, solemn stare. He turned his attention back to the man and began walking over to him. "Let us speak in the hall.

"Of course, Sire."

When they entered the hall, Roland closed Amber's door behind him and walked a few paces away from the rooms before addressing the soldier again. "Please, proceed."

"The Queen and Mr. Balthazar have ordered a new plan for retrieving the Princess. Nearly all the troops have departed.

"Mr. Balthazar?" Roland asked.

"Yes sir. It appears his family is being held captive by the same person who kidnapped Princess Sofia. He said she'd be taken to the Castle of the Three Sisters in Ledstrana."

"My word." Roland breathed.

"Indeed, it is shocking. Most of the platoon has departed, your Highness, and many of my men were instructed to join the search party. I understand finding her is of the utmost importance, but we cannot leave the castle unguarded."

"Agreed. I shall send out a carrier pigeon to our Lords requesting more men at once."

"Thank you, Sire." Said the Captain with a small bow of his head.

Roland departed from the Captain and walked briskly to his office to write up the request. He had no time to waste if he wanted more guards to arrive by the time he and Miranda would depart with the rest of the soldiers. He needed the men to both guard the castle from any intruders sneaking in as much as he needed to prevent his two other children from sneaking out.


	18. Chapter 18: Ruse

**Hello! Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long this time :) Here's the next chapter. I'd like to know a little more about my readers, tell me in a review what's your favorite part of the story or who your favorite character is so far, I'd love to try and gain some inspiration from you guys!  
Until next time!  
Enjoy :)**

 **Chapter 18: Ruse**

Cold wind whipped against Sofia's face like a thousand tiny needles. She wished they hadn't been flying so fast. If they hadn't she could have at least reached up to hold on to the hat atop her head instead of clinging so hard to the thick, downy under feathers of the massive bird. Regretfully, her hat flew off some time ago making the wind blow her hair so that it, whipped against her reddening cheeks. She squeezed her eyes shut as the blistering icy wind stung every part of her exposed skin. She couldn't open them; partially due to fear because of how fast they were flying, but mainly because the freezing wind would send tiny ice crystals into her eyes if she did. She had no idea how long they flew. She meant to ask the bird about going to get her papa, but they flew off so fast, she didn't remember until they were already too far away from the castle. Tears streaked down Sofia's face as she realized she would be going to a new country with a strange animal she only just met, but she had to do something to help her family. Soon enough, a sweet smelling aroma greeted her nose. It was a familiar scent that vaguely reminded her mother's warm embrace. Before she could identify it, she fell fast asleep.

Zeleny knew she would be freezing, and he couldn't have her dying, so he warmed his body as much as he could, and excreted a pheromone to help her fall asleep. It made the trip a lot more pleasant for both of them. The cikavac no longer had to feel her constant shivering, and could fly more easily now that she wasn't nearly pulling his feathers out. Flying non-stop all night and day, it took them just less than a day to get to Vasilia's castle (though, if he hadn't been carrying a small child and providing her with warmth, Zeleny could have made the trip in a little more than half that time). He was glad that he took the whole three days on the trip to Enchancia, as it allowed him enough energy to make the extremely quick return trip.

When Vasilia's castle came into view beneath the thick clouds, Zeleny began conserving the extra energy he had been using to keep Sofia warm and asleep. They would be inside soon enough, so she would be fine for the final decent into Vasilia's kingdom.

Sofia felt the chill of the air begin to prick her skin again as she awakened from her deep slumber. The pair was sill flying as if they were in a race, but not nearly as fast as they had been. She squinted her eyes open, trying to see her surroundings, but everything was obscured by the darkness of shadows in the foggy night as they flew through the frigid, misty air. Sofia buried her face into the bird's back and gently clung to his feathers.

It was a short while before Zeleny craned his neck behind him and nudged her gently with his beak. "Wake up, Printsessa. We are nearly there. Just a few more minutes." He said in his false melodious voice.

Sofia peaked her head up from his feathers and gazed around at the midnight around her. She could now see shadows of landscape beneath her, as they were much closer to the ground. She saw faint outlines of houses and streets in the dim moonlight that streamed through the clouds. She then looked forward passed Zeleny's head, and saw a massive castle looming in the distance with onion shaped domes and towering spires. The cold air blew through her hair as they decelerated. It reminded her of a night ride with Minimus, albeit very cold night ride.

Soon enough they came upon the castle and the pair coasted into a large open window. Zeleny flapped his massive wings, stopping in mid air before he landed gracefully on the glossy gold and red flooring. Sofia slowly climbed off the bird's back, being careful not to land too hard on her cold, stiff feet.

"Printsessa, why don't you go warm yourself by the fire while we wait for the mage who can use your amulet to break my curse." Zeleny purred.

Sofia shivered as she looked around the large ornate room. The walls were a warm marble with intricately carved whimsical floral patterns. The fireplace to her left had beautiful bright red bricks that shone like rubies, while the mantel was made of the same marble as the walls and had golden trim around the edges. Sofia walked over to the fireplace and faced away from it so that the flames warmed her back. For the majority of the ride, her front side was kept warm because of the heat from Zeleny's body, but her back had been exposed to the frigid elements. Almost immediately, her body began to warm again, and soon her shivering subsided into calm and easy breathing. Suddenly, her stomach growled angrily, pulling her out of her peaceful trance.

"Oh, dear malyshka, you must be starving! I unfortunately do not have any food to offer you, but I know that my dear friend will be coming any second now." Said the cikavac, softly crooning in a deep baritone.

"Oh, ok. Thank you." Said Sofia, finally regaining her voice. Now that she was getting warm again, she remembered why exactly the giant bird had convinced her to come. "Where's my family? Where are my papa's wife, or my little brother and sister?" She asked. In spite of the situation, Sofia felt an odd sense of satisfaction when she uttered the words, 'little brother and sister.'

Zeleny rolled his eyes before he looked back over to the child. "Worry not, little one. I will take you to them after my curse is broken. I promise."

Sofia furrowed her eyebrows. "Why? Wouldn't it be faster if you carried me the rest of the way there? Then we could get them out and you could fly away with them."

The massive bird suppressed a snarl and instead allowed a deep chortle to escape his beak. "Dear girl, I may have been able to carry you, and maybe I could carry two very small children, but I cannot take off with the extra weight of an adult."

"Oh." She said, casting her eyes away from the creature.

"Besides, it will be much easier, and much more pleasant, to sneak into the witch's dungeon with a small white bird, rather than a giant horrifying cikavac, don't you agree?" Zeleny looked straight into Sofia's eyes to affirm his point. Fear gripped her heart immediately; she swallowed hard and merely nodded her head, unable to make her mouth form words.

"Ah, prostite. I did not mean to frighten you." He said, looking away from the girl. "But I'm sure you know what I mean when I say it will be better to break the curse first, da?"

"Y-yes." Sofia's response was meager, but it was all she could muster. She turned around and faced the fireplace, trying to banish the oppressive fear that pressed heavily down on her. She gazed at the fireplace, thinking about her papa: her mom, her dad, and her siblings, both captive and free. They would be worrying; her free family, anyway. Mom was probably furious and heartbroken. Search parties were probably already sent out to look for her. Though, she wasn't exactly sure how long she'd been asleep, so there was no way for her to know how far they travelled. All she knew was that they were probably in Ledstrana, since Zeleny didn't intent to carry her the rest of the way to where her family was being kept. She stared in a silent trance at the dancing flames until a feminine voice came from behind the door. Sofia couldn't understand what she was saying though. The language sounded strange, and it didn't sound like the language that occasionally came from Zeleny's mouth. It sounded a little like what Cedric would say when he was casting spells; Sofia even thought she picked out the word 'potens,' which she thought she read in a spell book before. If she remembered correctly, it meant power, or something of the sort.

The huge door opened and a short, round faced woman in a cream colored frock came waddling in. "Dear Zeleny! It is good to see you, though you are still frightfully terrifying. I did not expect you to find the amulet, along with a willing bearer in such a short time." Said the woman, her voice round and bouncy like a jelly ball. She waddled over to Sofia and curtsied.

"Hello dear girl, I am the Annissa the Amiable at your service!"

"Oh, hello. Princess Sofia of Enchancia." Said Sofia with a wobbly curtsy. Her legs were still shaking slightly in uncontrollable fear of the cikavac.

"Oh dear, yes, it seems the nasty curse of the cikavac is still effecting you my dear—although I guess it never really does go away unless the cikavac does so, what do you think, sweet girl? Should we get this nasty curse over and done with so that you can stop quivering, and my friend can return to his old self?" The woman scuttled over to Sofia and put a hand on her shoulder. She smelled strangely: like lilies that had been thrown onto a funeral pyre.

"What do you have to do with my amulet?" Sofia asked, grasping at her necklace.

"You needn't worry, my child. All I have to do is take a teensy bit of magic from the amulet, wave my wand in Zeleny's direction and _poof_! He's back to his tiny white, wishing self again! … Or at least in theory."

"In theory?" Sofia blurted out.

The woman hooted and then snorted a chuckle. "Oh dear, did I say that out loud?"

Sofia gave her a look. "Um, yes! What do you mean?" she asked, concerned.

"Oh, I only mean that the magic in your amulet is very powerful and somewhat unpredictable. I'm sure you've experienced that first hand."

Sofia scrunched her face in slight embarrassment, but nodded. "Yeah, I guess that is true."

"Right then." Said the woman, clapping her chubby palms together. "So, with the unpredictability of the magic, it's not a one hundred percent guarantee that this will turn our good friend, Zeleny, back to his old self. But it's the only chance he's got to break the curse since Vasilia isn't going to lift it any time soon." She said with a lighthearted chortle.

Sofia bit the inside corner of her lip, considering her choice. "I'm not supposed to take it off."

The woman waved a hand and leaned over her shoulder. "Not to worry! We just need your say-so that we can use its magic, I give my wand a swift flick, and Zeleny is back to normal! It need not leave your neck." The woman waved her hand emphatically as she spoke.

Zeleny stalked over to her and craned his long neck over her shoulder. "I don't mean to impose, Printsessa. But the time is nearing when the curse will become permanent. I also would like to help you find your family as soon as possible. So pozhaluysta, please, do make quick your decision."

Sofia would have turned to look at the huge bird, but did not want to be frozen stiff from fear again. She looked at the round woman apprehensively. "Will he get hurt if it doesn't work?"

"Well, not all magic is sunshine and glitter, girl!" said the woman, placing her hands on her stout hips. "I'm sure any risks of pain, Zeleny is more than ready to go through if it means he returns to normal, isn't that right, dear friend?"

The cikavac nodded once slowly, the leathery pouch under his beak grazing against Sofia's shoulder. "Indeed. Though I trust in your adept hands to make sure nothing of the sort happens to me."

Sofia refused to look at the frightening creature and steeled herself, releasing the amulet from her grasp. "O-okay. If you're sure." She didn't trust this woman, but she couldn't put her finger on the reason why. Maybe it was the crippling fear she felt that was inhibiting her judgment, but at this point, she felt she didn't have much of a choice but to go along with what they said. If what the woman was saying was true, then she might as well help this poor creature.

The bird stepped back from her and she let out a breath of air she didn't realize she was holding. "I am sure, Printsessa. Spasibo. It is greatly appreciated."

Sofia took a step towards the woman and put both hands down at her sides. "A-alright. I'm ready."

"Not to worry, dear child. This won't hurt a bit!" The stout woman flicked her wrist, and from a small purple cloud of smoke, appeared a crinkled and knotted old stick of a wand. She hopped backwards and waved it around her head three times, making purple and white swirled sparks glitter from the end. She then thrust the wand toward Sofia, causing the swirled magic to rush toward her in a gleaming beam. It hit her necklace in a display of flashing sparks. She squeezed her eyes shut, and to her surprise, the sorceress was right, she felt no pain to speak of, just a buzzing sensation on her chest as the amulet gently vibrated. Sofia slowly opened her eyes and watched the small, round woman twirl her wand around in tight circles and scoot backwards. The white and purple beam pulled back from the amulet, now colored at the end with a bright magenta. She flicked her wrist once more, and shot the stream of magic at the great bird, who cried out, his wings flailing about.

"Stop! You're hurting him!" she cried.

"It—it is n-nothing, Printsessa! Do not stop, I believe it is working!" Zeleny grunted, still writhing.

Sofia winced at the scene. One final burst of magic obscured the dark bird in a pillar of white smoke. Sofia ran towards the smoke to see if it had worked, but before she could get to him, she froze. Her feet seemingly stuck to the floor as she was once again, frozen in fear.

The huge black bird beat his enormous wings once and cleared away the smoke. He stood up trying to balance, and his wings slumped to the floor like two massive feathery weights. "Perhaps the curse has become permanent already." He coughed.

Sofia put her hands to her mouth in shock. "Oh no!" she whispered.

"I'm sorry. I did all I could to help you, dear friend." The woman said to the bird as he struggled to right himself.

"It is alright. I knew the risk that it may not work." Replied the bird, his voice husky and thick.

"Here, let me try and heal your wounds." Said the woman. She then put a hand on Sofia's shoulder. "Princess, my assistant is waiting outside. Why don't you go ask him to take you to get some food while I tend to my dear friend?"

Sofia felt the need to stay, but couldn't deny the fact that she desperately wanted to escape from the oppressive fear she felt from the cikavac. She gave a worried glance to the woman, who offered a melancholy smile.

"Here, I'll walk you out to meet him." She said sweetly. Putting a hand on Sofia's back, she guided her to the massive stone door of the chamber.

There was, indeed a man outside the door, though he was more of a mountain than a man. Large and surly with jet-black hair and a square-lined jaw, he stood. His massive hands dangling like cinderblocks from his arms. Even under the black suit jacket, the broad arc of his shoulders was apparent and rendered the thick stock that was his neck nearly indivisible. He gazed down at Sofia—who only came up to his mid thigh—his eyebrows were thick, and weighed heavily on his midnight blue eyes, making deep crevasses in his forehead.

"Princess, this is my assistant, Vladimir." Chirped the woman as she pushed Sofia nearer to the imposing man.

He merely looked from the woman to Sofia, his face maintaining the same grave expression.

"Um, hi Mr. Vladimir. I'm Sofia." She said, giving a petite curtsy while she mustered a smile.

He blinked slowly at her and then looked back at the sorceress.

"Be a dear, Vlad, and take Princess Sofia to get something to eat?" said the woman.

Vlad glanced at Sofia, then turned to his left and began walking immediately.

"Thank you, Vlad!" she sang pushing Sofia along to follow him. "Don't worry, he might not talk much, but he'll take good care of you!"

Sofia looked apprehensively at the peachy round woman one last time. Now that she wasn't paralyzed with fear, she knew something was definitely odd about her and decided quickly that she'd rather take her chances with the silent giant. She then jogged a short distance to catch up with him, and followed him down the huge, marvelous maze of corridors.

—

The sorceress turned around and went back into the chamber where the bird still stood. "Bravo, dear Zeleny. You never cease to amaze me!" she said, walking up to the bird and stroking his beak.

"You are too kind, milady." Crooned the cikavac.

"I almost thought you were actually in pain! Though, please don't scare me like that again. I'd hate to have my right hand crippled at such a critical moment."

Zeleny chuckled deeply. "Of course milady. My apologies." He said tilting his head in a slight bow. "You almost had me fooled with that disguise as well, your skill never ceases to amaze me."

"Oh, you flatter me." She said, waving a hand.

"I merely speak the truth." Zeleny chuckled. "Were you able to gain enough power from the necklace?"

"Unfortunately, no. I was not able to glean any magic from the amulet with it still around her neck. She still needs to give it to me on her own will in order for me to extract the magic needed."

The cikavac nodded. "Right, milady. What is your command?"

The woman pondered for a moment, putting a stubby finger to her round chin.

"Why don't you take our dear amulet wielder to find her family? Take her for another short flight and I'll remove the cloaking spell. Come to me once she goes into the dungeon."

Zeleny nodded, hopped up onto her perch by the windowsill and then took off.

—

Sofia followed the mountain of a man through the ornate, maze-like corridors of the castle. Gleaming marble with ornate gold inlay decorated the walls. The floor also shone brightly with thick ribbons of ruby in each marble tile. Giant chandeliers hung from the ceiling, illuminating the lustrous corridors.

When they got to the kitchen, Vladimir gestured to a counter where a few baguettes and assorted fruits lay. "Oh, thank you!" Said Sofia as she quickly grabbed a baguette and a handful of blueberries. She bit into the crunchy, flakey crust to the soft, fluffy inside. It may have just been her hunger talking, but she was fairly certain that it was the best baguette she'd ever eaten. The blueberries were delicious as well; perfectly ripe and sweet, and when she bit down, the juice exploded into her mouth. Vlad lead her to a small table where she could sit and set the bowl of blueberries in front of her before going into another part of the kitchen.

When she had nearly finished the baguette, and her third handful of berries, Vlad came back and brought her a plate with two golden brown rolls that had a savory steam floating off of them. Sofia thought to ask what they were, but was so hungry, she didn't really mind. "Thank you." She said before taking the last bite of her baguette and then picked up one of the rolls. She swallowed the baguette quickly and took a bite. The filling inside pleasantly surprised her. There was meat, slightly gamey in texture but rich in flavor; it tasted like the duck her mom used to make on special occasions before they moved into the castle. Potatoes, carrots, and celery also colored the flavor of the meat, tainting it with a subtle sweetness. Since she had already eaten the baguette, her stomach was a little fuller, and she was able to slow herself down enough to really enjoy the savory rolls. After she had finished the first one, she decided to voice her curiosity.

"What are these? Did you make them?" she asked, smiling. Now that her stomach was full and she was away from the frightening, albeit friendly, cikavac, she was starting to feel more like herself again.

Vlad looked down at her from behind his nose and glared at her silently for a moment. "Pirozhki. No." he finally answered, his voice so deep and rumbling that Sofia nearly felt it in her own chest.

"Oh. If you didn't, who did?"

He blinked at her. Then looked back up and folded his hands in front of him.

"How come you don't like to talk? It can't be because you don't like the sound of your voice. I knew a knight like that once." Sofia said as she took a bite of the second roll.

Her only answer was, once again, the stern silent gaze of the man.

"Oookay, then. Thank you for the meal, anyway. It's delicious." She said sincerely before turning away from the man to finish eating.

Just as she was finishing the last of her pirozhki, she got the feeling that someone other than Vlad was watching her. She looked around the room, but only saw the massive man standing across from her with his hands folded in front of him. She put the last bite in her mouth and tried to shake off the feeling, but it was only getting more intense. Soon enough, she felt the familiar sense of paralyzing dread coming over her, as a tap sounded at the window.

Sofia jerked her head around, startled by the noise. Vlad opened the window and let in the familiar, terrifying bird. Luckily, he closed the window promptly to keep the freezing air outside.

"Privetstviye again, Printsessa." Said the cikavac, bowing his head.

"Oh, hello Zeleny. A-are you feeling okay?" she asked after swallowing the last bit of fried dough.

"I am feeling as good as I can, Printsessa. I trust Vladimir has taken good care of you. Is the food to your liking?"

"Oh, yes, it's delicious!" She said, trying to smile.

"Very good. Have you had your fill? We should get to your family as soon as possible."

Sofia hopped down from her seat and nodded. "Of course! Where are they?"

Zeleny stepped towards her, his head towering over her own. "They are being kept in Vasilia's dungeon. It is not too far of a walk from here, but it will be much faster if I fly you there."

Sofia gulped hard. Despite the crippling terror she felt around the bird, she fought to remind herself to stay strong for her family's sake, and did her best to put on a brave face. "R-right. Let's go."

 **Couple words for translation  
** **Privetstviye - Greetings  
Spasibo - thank you  
Prostite - Sorry  
Malyshka - child**


	19. Chapter 19: Followers

**Hello all! Look, I'm updating in a timely manner! Aren't you proud? I'm trying to catch you guys up a bit, like I've said before, I actually have a few more chapters written than are published and the summer is winding down a bit, AND I have been lucky enough to have had a streak of inspiration, so I'm staying on top of this story. I'm hoping to get as close to finishing as I can before the summer ends. Anyway! I hope y'all like this chapter! Feel free to express your thoughts and opinions in a review!**

 **Enjoy!**

Chapter 19: Followers

Time was of the essence, and in the mind of the queen there was no time for rest. Though, as they approached the fourteenth hour of flight she was beginning to see the fatigue of the men, and especially of the horses. She had been so preoccupied thinking about Sofia that she hardly even noticed her own exhaustion. Miranda glanced around to the troops one last time before she raised her right hand in the symbol for decent, and the group landed on a rocky, snow-spotted beach by a lake in the forest beneath them.

When they all had landed, she turned to the man who had flown in front of the Section most of the trip. "Lieutenant, we will rest here, but we must set out soon. How long do your troops need?"

"An hour should do fine for now. The more ground we cover while the sun is out, the better. However, we will need to rest the horses for the night later." The tall man dismounted his horse and then cupped his hands around his mouth. "Take a knee, men. Tend to your horses. We take off at fourteen hundred."

Miranda dismounted her horse just as Rowland came behind her. "Here, Miranda. You should eat." He said, gently laying a hand on her shoulder and holding up a granola bar in front of her.

She took the bar from her husband and uttered a meager thanks.

Rowland gripped her shoulder tighter. Part of him wanted to offer some encouraging words, but none that he could think of seemed appropriate. 'Sofia will be fine,' they couldn't know that for sure, they couldn't know anything for sure. 'Don't worry, we'll find her,' telling any parent not to worry, especially Miranda at this point was almost like a death wish. Roland held his hand on her shoulder and looked at her with concern. Without looking back at him, she touched his hand and then walked away from him in the direction of the Lieutenant. The other man pulled out a map from the knapsack on his horse as they conversed briefly before he put the map away and nodded to the queen. It was odd for Roland, taking the back seat. He was in such utter shock when Sofia was taken that he froze and couldn't even force himself to move. He had watched Miranda's fury and panic erupt and could do nothing to help. When she began rallying the search parties, Roland followed her, but his legs were completely numb and he wasn't quite sure how he was moving. Before he knew it, she had gathered five sections of men and was sending them off in the direction that the giant bird flew off. Even now, the numbness in his legs and arms hadn't completely worn off. Feelings of uselessness and inadequacy came back to greet him like old friends that were with him after his first wife had passed away, and before he married Miranda. They had come back to visit a few times in the recent past, but it was never long before someone, namely Miranda or one of his children, pulled him back into the light.

Roland continued to wallow in his thoughts as he tended to his horse. He normally wouldn't have had to do the job himself, but he considered himself one of the soldiers at this point, and did not think he was above the expected duties. He fumbled with the straps of the knapsack full of oats and nearly dropped it as the horse began to eat. Eventually, he looked around at all the other men, and noticed they had strapped the bags of oats to the horses' heads while they ate and inspected their weapons. As his horse was still munching away at the oats, Roland took a look at the straps of the bag for a moment before figuring out how exactly they were secured. His horse made fastening the bag much more difficult, as every time he moved the bag, the horse would forcefully move with it. It took him a couple minutes to get everything secured, but he eventually got it. He wiped his brow and glanced around again at the group, Miranda was currently involved in a conversation with the wizard that had been put in charge of the magical inventory. Roland sighed and sat on a boulder that was protruding from the rocky ground as he let himself get lost in his thoughts again. Before long, he stopped noticing the cold rock beneath him, and the forest scene before him vanished as he let his mind lose focus. It was as if he had fallen asleep with his eyes open, he still saw and heard everything that was going on, but he was so lost in his own world that his brain stopped recording it. Before long, it was time to pack up and leave again on the long trip. The Lieutenant gave a shout and all the rest of the troops mounted their horses as Roland struggled to shake himself out of his daydream. Just as the king was about to jump up onto his horse, he saw something move amongst the tree line. He squinted his eyes, and thought it looked very much like a small human form hiding somewhere in the bushes. He walked around his horse and took a few cautious steps nearer to the tree line.

"Rollie! Come on, we're leaving!" he heard Miranda shout from the air.

He shook his head quickly dismissing the figure. Whatever it was didn't matter, as it was unlikely for it to follow them into the sky. He mounted his horse quickly and took off after the rest of the group.

—

James let out an exasperated sigh as he sat with his back pressed against a large tree. "Amber! Why'd you run over here? I told you to stay still!" he whispered harshly as his sister pressed herself against the tree beside him.

"Well I'm sorry! It's not my fault a big, gross bug decided to crawl up on me!" she screamed in a whisper, motioning to her yellow riding pants.

"Whatever! Just stay still and be quiet! I think Dad saw you!" he said peeking around the tree. They were a considerable distance away, just out of earshot of a normal conversation, but James didn't want to take any chances. He watched his father take a few steps toward them and James ducked his head back behind the tree.

"What's he doing?" Amber whispered.

James held a finger to his lips and looked at her sternly. Amber shut her mouth and peeked one eye out from behind her side of the tree when her mother yelled to her father. Both twins watched as their father mounted his horse and promptly took off with the rest of the troop. When the men were high enough in the sky but still visible, they came out of their hiding spot.

"Come on. Fog is rolling in, and we don't want to lose them." Said James.

Amber nodded and began walking back into the forest. They had left Saffron and Echo near a pond that ran off from the lake and was surrounded by thick foliage. The two horses were grazing on the mossy grasses peeking through muddy patches of snow. The twins silently untied their horses and readied for another long leg of the trip. They walked out into the lake clearing where the troop of men had been and quickly mounted their horses. They could no longer see the group, as they had disappeared behind the trees, but they wouldn't be too far ahead yet. Amber caressed Saffron's neck and whispered to her dear horse, "Don't worry, after we save Sofia, I'll give you a whole basket of apple slices."

Saffron whinnied and nodded her head excitedly in response.

Amber chuckled. "Alright. You ready? It's going to be a long trip."

The horse snorted and hoofed the ground in anticipation of takeoff.

"Ready, Amber?" asked James from atop Echo.

"Let's go." She nodded.

The twins flicked the reigns of their horses and took off as fast as their wings would carry them. They stayed low, well out of sight of the group ahead of them and kept their eyes on the skies, searching for them. After a while, they saw fourteen figures in the sky flying in a V formation. They ascended slightly but made sure to keep just enough distance between them and the group so they wouldn't be spotted through the thick fog. After a few hours of flying, the fog began to clear and the twins dropped behind the group some more, descending so they wouldn't be spotted in the brightness of the sun. Though the air was still chilly, the rays dried their damp coats and warmed their faces.

There were many times James struggled to keep his eyes open in the warmth of the late afternoon sun. There were a few times he accidently tugged the reins to one side, but Echo knew not to stray off course, neighing and bucking to jostle his rider awake. It would only work in increments of a few minutes though, as James's eyelids would soon grow heavy again. It was a good thing Amber had no trouble staying awake; she never quite got over the exhilaration that came with flying high in the sky, so she was also able to call out to her brother when she saw him dozing off.

They flew until the sun had turned into a massive blood-orange sphere, dipping behind the horizon. As evening came upon them, the group ahead descended while James and Amber followed them. The group set up camp by a slow moving river, and the twins pitched their tents amongst the trees, far enough away so they wouldn't be seen, but close enough that they could hear the muted conversations and other ambient sounds of the larger campsite. The sun had nearly set when they finished setting up and relieving their horses of their burdens.

"James, I'm going to wash up a bit in the river. You should stay and watch the camp." Said Amber, grabbing a washcloth from her knapsack.

"Come on, Amber. Stay here, we don't want to risk being seen." Said James, slightly annoyed.

"Relax James. I'm not going to be gone for long. Besides, I'll go upstream by the rapids, they won't have any reason to go up there."

"The rapids? Are you crazy? You'll get swept away!" James exclaimed.

Amber rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to get in the water James, I'm just going to wash my face, hands, and feet. Don't worry, I'll be careful and quick." She said, starting to walk away.

"Are you sure you'll be ok, going alone?" James asked with concern in his voice.

"I'll be fine. Like I said, I won't be gone for long. Once I get back, then maybe you can go wash up as well. I'll also bring back some water for the four of us." She said, turning back to her brother.

James furrowed his eyebrows and looked at her apprehensively before speaking again. "Fine. I'll keep watch here. But you better not take forever."

Amber clenched her teeth and let out an undignified grunt. "You act like I don't know how serious the situation is! Just because I want to be somewhat clean doesn't make me stupid. For your information, I have become quite adept at handling the wilderness, thanks to being a Buttercup and our last family vacation, so you can just stop criticizing me." She turned on her heel and strode away, leaving her brother alone and disgruntled.

James let out an irritated growl and kicked a large tree stump that was next to him. "I've become quite adept at handling the wilderness neh neh neh…" James squeaked, mocking his sister. He rolled his eyes and picked up a small stick, idly breaking off the tiny twigs hanging from it. When the stick was bare, he began swinging it around as he would a sword. After a few swings and muffled grunts of indignation, he calmed himself and plopped down on the tree stump. Then, laying his chin on his hands, he drew thoughtless doodles in the coarse dirt. A squiggle there, a circle here, maybe a straight line in there somewhere, it helped James to calm down and think about what Amber had said.

After a few moments of silence, he let out a heavy sigh and tossed the stick to the ground. "Maybe I have been criticizing Amber too much. She's been able to keep up flying this whole time. She pitched her own tent by herself, and has been helping me stay awake the entire time. Heck, she even brought just one bag!" James got up and walked over to Amber's tent. It was a normal buttercup tent, although Amber had replaced the cream colored flap with a vibrant green, satin fabric. James couldn't help but smirk. Amber had definitely changed, but she always managed to fit in her opulent flare somewhere. He decided then that he would apologize to her when she got back. He went over to his horse, and stroked his snout gently. Echo responded by pressing his head against the boy's chest. "Thanks for all your hard work, boy. I know I wouldn't have been able to make it without you taking care of me. Keep an eye out for Amber, ok? She should be back soon, and let me know if anything comes around."

Echo whinnied softly and nodded his head in response.

James smiled and patted his horse's head one last time before lighting a small lantern and disappearing into his tent. He pulled out a small book, full of biographies of the most famous knights and all their accomplishments. Sir Finnegan had mentioned it in passing once, and it sounded brilliant, so James took it upon himself to read it. He started only a few days ago and was nearly halfway through it. He hung the lantern from the main support rod in his tent and lay down on his bed mat to read.

It was not long, maybe less than a half-hour, before the sun disappeared behind the horizon and the waning moon came out to light the night sky. James was beginning to worry because of Amber's absence, so he went out of the tent with his lantern in hand. He peeked inside her tent, only to find the pink tasseled sleeping bag unfurled in the center, and her knapsack slouched against a wall. James's brow furrowed in concern as he came out of her tent into the dark night. He could hear the flow of the rapids in the distance where Amber said she would be going. He held up the lantern and gazed off in the direction of where she walked away. "Amber?" he whispered.

At first, he didn't hear anything, only the hushed rapids and chirps of crickets. He took a few steps forward and suddenly heard a loud snap of a twig. He jumped, nearly losing his breath. He then scoffed quietly at himself, realizing that it was his own foot that caused the twig to snap. He stepped up onto the tree stump he had kicked earlier to decrease his risk of making any more noise and held up his lantern again. After a few moments, he saw movement among the trees nearby in the direction where Amber had gone. After the initial panic of an unknown figure coming near to him, he noticed that the form was feminine. Neither of the horses seemed disturbed, so James figured it would be Amber. He hopped off the stump and approached the figure. "Amber, I'm glad you're back. I was beginning to wo—"

How he hadn't noticed that the form was considerably taller than his sister, he wasn't sure, but when he held his lantern up, he was met with the stern, irritated gaze of his mother.


	20. Chapter 20: A Curiosity

**Hello once again lovely readers! I'm pleased to give you another chapter and I hope you're enjoying the raising action of the story as much as I am! I have been having such a fun time working on this and I'm so glad that you all are reading, so thank you! A special thank you to guest Starkvb, and QueenMean for your uplifting reviews! It warms my heart to know that you are enjoying it so much! It makes writing this story that much more fun! Also another HUGE thank you to my beta-reader Artemismk1.2! This story seriously would not be the same if you weren't helping me proofread and being a bouncing board for ideas. Also a big thank you to all those who have subscribed and favorited! Drop a review if you feel so led, I love hearing from you guys!  
Anyway, onto the chapter!** **  
**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 20: A Curiosity**

"James, I'm back." Amber called quietly as she walked up to their campsite. When she didn't hear a response, she hit the fabric of his tent so that it made a deep thudding sound. "James?" she said a little louder. Again, there was no response. Amber went around to the front of his tent and opened up the flap, expecting to see him asleep- and most likely with an open book on his chest. But to her dismay he was missing from his bedroll. She turned around to check on their horses, which were still safely tied up at the tree. After emptying the canteen of water she had filled up at the river into a makeshift trough, Amber had one last look around their little camp. "Maybe he went to relieve himself." She shrugged before going into her tent.

She took the lantern from her knapsack, lit it, and hung it from the main support in her tent. After changing from her riding clothes into a pale green nightgown and brushing her hair, she grabbed one of the history books she had borrowed from Cedric. Hidden inside its pages was an explanation of the spell that was cast on Kashchey, and different hypotheses of how he used his magic to make himself virtually immortal. It took her a moment to find, and for a split second, she felt little regret, not marking the page with a bookmark. She found it shortly though and began reading. Much of the language was very dense and difficult to understand. She had to refer to a pocket-sized, magicology term dictionary she had also brought at least eight times on one page alone, so it took her a while to read through the two pages in front of her.

When she flipped the page, she found a bookmark that was so jammed in between the pages and the binding, she wouldn't have been able to see it had her lantern not been swaying slightly from side to side causing the shiny, slim object to shimmer in the light. There was only a small sliver of it peeking out from the page it had marked, so she had to try and grasp the tiny piece that stuck out of the top of the book. She couldn't grab it with her fingers, so she tried prying it out using her fingernails. When she finally got it out, she couldn't help but admire it. It had a silvery surface that, when turned, reflected flashes of a vibrant rainbow. Amber flipped the small paper-like object in her hands; the third time she flipped it over she noticed a small inscription on the bottom.

"Veniunt ad me: arcanum gaza. Quod olim erat occultatum, iam non est occultatum." Amber muttered, attempting to pronounce the strange text. She did recognize part of one of the words though. "Occultatum, like ocular? Something to do with vision?"

After twirling the thick, hard, paper-like object one last time, she put it down next to her and continued reading. A few moments of silence past and then footsteps sounded from outside her tent. She got up and poked her head outside of her tent. "There you are, why did you leave?" she asked, assuming it was James.

It was, indeed her brother, but there was another person with him. He didn't respond to her, only waved at her with an embarrassed cringe on his face.

"I could ask you the same exact question, young lady." The tone of voice was unmistakable: distinct motherly disappointment, clouded with outrage, yet contained in a terrifyingly calm demeanor.

Amber's eyes went wide and she gazed slack-jawed at her mother, too shocked to say or do anything in response.

"Come out of your tent, please." Commanded the Queen.

Amber quickly grabbed her coat from her sack and obeyed.

"Follow me." Said her mother. She turned around and walked away from the twins in the direction of the camp. The two preteens followed a short distance behind, not daring to utter a word.

As they walked through the small camp, some of the soldiers took notice of the young adolescents. Two of them turned to each other and began whispering, while another one looked up from shining his shoes and gave the twins a smirk and a nod. Amber turned her gaze back to the ground; this was probably the only kind of attention that she _didn't_ like. James gave a small, embarrassed smile back to the older gentleman, taking the gesture as more of kudos.

In the middle of the camp, there was a large tent that looked like it could comfortably sleep ten people and was illuminated by the soft glow of lanterns hanging from steel posts outside. As they neared it, Amber saw a familiar, gangly figure stomp out of a tent muttering something in an unmistakable grumble. She didn't have time to let her gaze linger on the man, though.

Miranda turned to her children, "Wait here." She said coldly and then lifted the heavy tent flap open to enter. James and Amber looked at each other and listened, with bated breath, to the muted conversation coming from inside the tent.

"Roland. I found something in the forest that you're going to want to see."

"Miranda, what's the matter?" Their father answered quickly. Amber could imagine the look of disturbed shock on his face when their mother addressed him so formally.

"I really think you need to see it to believe it."

"Alright. Show me, then. Excuse me, Lieutenant."

"There is no need. I brought them with me."

"Them?"

The tent flap opened up, and there was their father standing before them: jaw hanging slightly ajar and eyes wide open. His face then turned deep red, like a big, ripe, tart cherry that had just been picked. James gulped. He had only seen his father's face redder when they helped take back Avalor from Queen Shuriki as he brandished his sword against her guards.

"James, Amber? What in the world are you doing here!" said their father; his voice raised more with intensity rather than volume.

"We want to help Sofia, Dad." James said quickly.

"You would have been more help to her if you had stayed at the castle like we said!"

"We couldn't just sit around while Sofia is in trouble! We can help!" said James, widening his stance.

"Could you excuse us, Lieutenant?" Miranda said coolly.

"Of course, your majesties." The man bowed and swiftly exited the tent.

Roland waited a moment until the Lieutenant was gone before addressing his son again. "Why do you think putting your own lives on the line is the only answer? James, I know you want to help, but putting yourself in danger isn't going to help Sofia. Because of your actions, your mother and I now need to worry about all three of our children's lives! If you had stayed at the castle you would have, at least, been safe."

"But what about Sofia! If her life really is in danger, how was I supposed to stand by and wait for the guards to bring back her body? At least if I'm there, I might be able to help protect her!" James yelled shamelessly at his father.

"And what if you can't protect her and end up losing your life instead? What then, James?" Roland said, lowering his voice as he scowled at his son.

"Then I'll die honorably, knowing I did everything I could to save her." He said solemnly.

Roland stood up straight and clenched his jaw, glaring at his son. James held his gaze firmly, knowing that he'd won a small battle. Silence hung in the air for a moment before Roland spoke again. "And you, Amber? What do you have to say for yourself? You promised me you'd stay at the castle."

Amber furrowed her brows and looked up at her father. "I promised to stay where it was safe. The castle lacked the appropriate security. James or I could have been kidnapped easily."

Roland's scowl deepened. "It is not safer to be out in the wilderness than in a fortified castle!"

Amber raised her eyebrows and clasped her hands together gracefully. "A search party has a higher concentration of soldiers compared to the castle. It was safer to join a search party."

"Only if you are actually in the party, not trailing behind them! Up in the air you were all alone, what if someone took you then?" Roland shouted.

"With all due respect, Father, the sky is a much bigger area than the castle, much more room to escape. And if there were ever any real danger, you would have seen it before we did." She responded coolly.

Roland's anger flared at the tone she was using. "Do not use that tone of voice with me, young lady!"

"What tone, Father? I am merely stating my case." Said Amber, keeping her voice calm.

"You lied to me, and disobeyed! There is no excuse for that!"

"I did not lie. I confirmed what you said, and told you I would stay where it was safest. I did as I said." Amber replied, resolute determination coloring her voice.

Roland paused, furrowing his brow. He unclenched his fists and heaved a heavy sigh through his nose and narrowed his eyes at his children. They held his gaze firmly. Their father had heard them, and though he absolutely hated the fact that both of them disobeyed, he could not contest their reasoning for their actions. He glanced at Miranda, who had been listening in the corner with her arms crossed. She pursed her lips and shared a long glance with her husband. Roland's eyes flashed between Amber and James, and then went back to his wife. He then walked to a dividing flap of the tent and opened it up.

"Miranda, would you come with me for a moment?" asked Roland.

She nodded, and the two adults went into the divided section of the tent and spoke in hushed tones. Amber and James breathed a sigh of slight relief as they released the breath neither of them realized they had been holding. They anxiously awaited their verdict knowing that they presented their case well enough for now.

In the center of the tent was a large table with a map splayed out, two blue flags had been stuck between Enchancia and Ledstrana, with more blue flags surrounding the destination area, which was marked with a red flag. A few other red flags were scattered around the same general area; James suspected that they were possible locations Ledstrana's forces might show up.

"What do you think they're going to do to us?" James asked his sister after a few moments of listening to the indecipherable conversation coming from the other section of the large tent.

Amber sighed. "I expect that our lives will be very boring for a long time. No friend dates, no extracurriculars, no fun outings. What else could they take away?"

"Dessert?"

"Oh, they'll definitely take away dessert." Amber nodded.

James scoffed a laugh and sat down on a stool in the corner of the tent. "Well, I could go without dessert, derby racing, and knight training for the rest of my life if it means we get Sofia back."

Amber smiled sadly. "Yeah."

The twins sat in silence for a few more moments, reflecting on the loss of their sister. Occasionally, they'd be able to pick out a word from their parents' conversation, but it was never enough to assume a conclusion. Amber had taken a seat next to her brother and rested her chin in her hands.

James glanced at his sister with his brow furrowed and his lips drawn to the side in a guilty frown. "Amber?" he said after a long silence.

"Yes?" she said, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, not bothering to move her head.

"I'm sorry." He said, rather laboriously.

"For what?" she asked surprised, picking her head to face him.

"Well, first, for getting caught. I kept on assuming that you were going to get us found out, and it ended up being me who they found." He looked down as he twiddled his hands.

Amber sighed. "It's ok, James. We were bound to get caught anyway, it doesn't matter who they saw first."

James furrowed his brow. "Maybe, but that's not all I wanted to apologize for. You've been doing all you can to make sure we get to Sofia. You've kept up perfectly on the flying horses, you kept me awake... At every turn, you've been there right with me and I've been treating you like you're some self-absorbed, materialistic… like a girlie girl."

Amber raised her eyebrow. "Since when did the term girlie girl become synonymous with self-absorbed and materialistic?"

"You know, they don't like getting dirty, they're only concerned with what clothes they wear, and can't do anything except gossip and make fun of people, and they would rather stay comfortable and let everyone else do the hard work."

"Why does being a girl who likes to be clean and has a good sense of fashion have to have such a negative connotation? Can't a girl be girlie while still being strong and reliable without being considered mean?"

"Well, I mean I guess, when you put it like that?" James said, rubbing his neck uncomfortably.

"Then you should have used another word that didn't put girls in such a negative light." She said, sticking her nose up in the air.

"Ugh! Ok, that wasn't the right word to use. Would you rather I have said, I've been treating you like you were a foolish coward?" James retorted, getting slightly flustered.

"Yes, actually. Neither of those words have a detrimental association with gender, and communicate much more effectively." Amber nodded with a slight air of pleased superiority.

James grunted in irritation. "Anyway, my point is, that I'm sorry for treating you like that. You have proven again and again on this trip that you are none of those things that I said."

"Except a girlie girl." Amber said with a smirk.

James couldn't help but roll his eyes affectionately. "Yes. A strong, reliable, well-prepared girlie girl."

Amber smiled endearingly at her brother for a short, silent moment. "Thank you, James."

He looked up at his sister and returned to her an apologetic smile. The two shared a brief moment of silence before the dividing flap of the tent opened up again. The twins sat up quickly and looked at their parents, hoping for the best, but expecting the worst.

Roland cleared his throat. "Well, we've talked it over. While we'd much rather have you safe at home, at this point it is more dangerous to send you back with one of the soldiers. You may stay with us on the condition that you promise to find shelter and stay out of sight when battle breaks out at Vasilia's stronghold."

The twins looked at each other and smiled hopefully.

"However, there is still the discussion about your punishment that needs to be had." Said their father.

Immediately, their smiles vanished and were replaced by looks of timid anticipation.

"We will decide what that will be once we return home to Enchancia. Until then, you will camp with us, and remain in our line of sight unless battle breaks out. You get up when the soldiers get up, you eat when they eat, and I don't want to hear any complaining. Understand?"

The twins nodded at their father.

"Good. Now come here." He said holding his arms open.

The twins eagerly shared a brief embrace with their father. When they separated, Roland spoke softly to them. "I am very upset that you disobeyed your mother and me, and you have to understand that whenever we tell you to do something, it's for your own safety. I understand and admire how much you want to help your sister, but you're our children, and you have to try and understand how much it worries us when you are in danger. You must never do something this reckless again, I don't care how dire the situation is. Your safety is your mother's and my number one concern above anything else."

Amber and James held their heads down and glanced up at their father without moving their heads when he finished. "Yes, Daddy." Said Amber.

"Ok, Dad." Said James.

After hugging their father one more time, their mother hugged them as well. "I love you both, more than you know. Now, go get Lieutenant Daniel and ask him to help you move your tents. He'll also show you where to put your horses. Then go right to bed. We have an early day tomorrow." She said, laying kisses on each of their heads.

The twins smiled and obeyed their mother. They found the lieutenant and had him accompany them to their campsite.

"You know, most of the soldiers heard the conversation you two had in there with your parents." Said the Lieutenant as they walked away from the large camp.

The twins just looked up at him, unsure how to respond. He glanced over his shoulder at them and smirked. "Takes a lot of guts, doing what you two did." he returned his gaze to the forest in front of him. "Following us soldiers out into wild blue yonder, flying below our radar, you two have got some skill. Makes me glad that there are people like you in line for the throne. Lord knows we need leaders like that to take charge and get things done."

James and Amber looked shocked at the Lieutenant's kind words and shared an open mouthed glance. "Th-thank you, sir." stammered James.

Lt. Daniel glanced back at them again. "However, if you get too reckless, your people will fall into ruin. Always keep that in mind."

James swallowed hard while Amber cast her eyes down at the grassy ground. "Yes, sir." said the boy; and the group continued walking silently to the twins' campsite.

While the twins packed up their belongings, Lt. Daniel untied their horses. Once they were finished, he showed them to their new spot in the larger camp. After they secured their tents close to their parents' tent, Amber took her knapsack and set up her bed again. She was glad she had thought to pack her cold weather tent, as the thick-skinned walls kept out the cold fairly well. She hung her lantern and dug through her pack again, wanting to take one last look at the book she had been reading earlier. While she was digging through her bag, she found a small, ornate box that she didn't remember packing. The box was walnut wood with gold bars on each corner, that connected in an 'x' on the top. Each side of the box had a symbol: on the left—a jade leaf of a birch tree encompassed by a golden circle, on the back—a flame made of gemstones that shone brilliant red akin to fire in the candle light with a gold upright triangle surrounding it, on the right—a double spiral inlay of labradorite, shining with intense blues, greens and yellows that faded in and out of each other, paired with gold, and on the front—a coiled serpent with scales made from onyx along with the three other gemstones from each emblem all mixed together to create a kaleidoscope of colorful scales. Just above the serpent was a crystal latch that held the box shut.

Amber had never seen the box before in her life and looked curiously at it, admiring its expert craftsmanship. She ran her finger over the crystal latch before slowly and carefully lifting it. Inside the box, there was a silver egg about the size of a hen's nestled into rose red, velvet fabric holding it secure. The egg was exactly the right size for the box and took up all the space but the corners. Its surface was highly reflective, like a mirror, and when she gazed at it, she could see her distorted reflection.

Amber hovered her hand over the small, orbicular object and was about to pick it up when someone rapped on the wall of her tent. "Lights out, Princess." Came Lt. Daniel's voice from the other side.

"Yes, sir!" Amber said, then quickly closed the box and stowed it back in her knapsack before she blew out her lantern and crawled into her sleeping bag.


	21. Chapter 21: Endeavor

**Hello again! Sorry it took me a few more days to get this chapter done, but it is longer so there you go ;P  
Feel free to drop a review and tell me how you're liking the story, or your theories as to what's going to happen, because I'd love to hear what's going on in your beautiful brains!  
I don't own Sofia the First. But any character that isn't related to the canon is mine x)**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 21: Endeavor**

In the darkness of the night, a princess flew atop a frightfully large bird. They had been in the air for just a short time before they landed on the grounds of a castle with onion shaped domes, similar to the ones that topped the previous. This castle was much larger though, and the moon's beams streaked through the clouds, illuminating a thick wall that encompassed the castle grounds.

Zeleny landed in the middle of the courtyard behind the grandiose building. "Follow me, printsessa. Vasilia's dungeon is this way." The bird whispered.

The large bird moved somewhat slowly and gracefully, gingerly sinking his large talons into the soft grass as he sauntered from side to side with each step. He led her to the door of an underground cellar and wagged his long beak towards it. "In there."

Sofia nodded, trying her hardest not to concentrate on the large bird. She grasped the freezing handle and heaved the large, wooden door wide open. She accidently let it go too soon, causing the door to bang loudly against the castle wall. Sofia flinched at the obtrusive sound.

"Hurry, Printsessa. I'll keep watch, you go find your family. Once you get them, there is a key at the foot of the staircase. Then, escape though the tunnel that leads out of the castle grounds. It is beneath the stairs in their cellblock. I'll distract Vasilia." Zeleny ushered her down into the cellar, gently nudging her with his beak.

Sofia stopped her decent and turned to face the bird one last time. "Are you sure you'll be ok?"

The cikavac smiled. "My dear printsessa, you flatter me with your concern. You have done enough worrying about me, and for that I am truly grateful. I will be just fine. Now go."

Sofia forced a weak smile and then turned back to the cellar. She grabbed the inside handle and braced her back and shoulders against the door, making sure that it closed gently. The door only made a few quiet creaks and a soft thud as it latched.

Sofia was surprised and glad there were torches already lit along the wall as she climbed down the stairs. There was a wispy, gray fog hovering near the floor of the dungeon, and for some reason, it reminded her of a picture she'd seen once; though she couldn't remember what of, or where. She tried to shrug off the strange feeling as she rounded the corner and came into a dimly lit area with prison cells lining the walls. She peeked her head around the corner and listened for any guards that might be nearby. No sound, save the sound of the torches burning, graced her ears: no plodding footsteps, no muted conversations, were there even any guards down here? She slowly came out from the corner and tiptoed down the hall, glancing at each one of the cells. They were all empty. A chill ran up Sofia's spine as she felt like a pair of eyes was glued to her back. She whipped her head around, ready to run, but she saw nothing there. Breath hitched in her throat and she swallowed hard, grasping her amulet out of reflex. She wasn't sure why she held onto it so tightly, but it did make her feel a bit better.

She continued walking in the dank hallways, listening for any sound other than her own footsteps. There were so many hallways leading to different sizes of rooms, it seemed like she was walking through a maze all alone. A few times, Sofia ran into a dead end and had to re-trace her steps back to where she was before. After the fourth time of having to do so, Sofia groaned loudly, not worried about alerting any guards that may have been down there. She was sure she had been wandering the same corner of the dungeon for the past five minutes, and since she never once heard any inkling of other people, guards or prisoners included, she took slight comfort in the fact that she was the only one walking around down there. Though her feelings of unease had not completely subsided, she was a little less on edge once she realized that she was alone. It was a blessing and a curse. On one hand, she wasn't as worried about getting caught; on the other, she couldn't shake the feeling of being followed.

As she wandered longer and longer, she thought more about her family: Papa and his wife, Anya and their children—her little brother, Ian, and her litter sister, Anastassia; what was going to happen to them? Was she going to find them? Were they even here, or had Zeleny made a mistake? Why hadn't she just waited and made sure to get help? What was she thinking? How could she have thought she was going to save her family when she didn't have any help, other than a strange new bird that was easily the most terrifying creature she'd ever laid eyes on? No. She couldn't let her fear or doubt get the better of her. Help would surely come soon. There was no way her parents would leave her here. She straightened her back and squared her shoulders. Even if she didn't find the way out, she would find her younger brother and sister, and her papa's wife. Her stepmother? Sofia shrugged her shoulders; it was the technical term, so she guessed she'd stick with it.

She turned down a particularly dim hallway that had only two lanterns lighting the way. She was nearly to the end of the hall when she heard the distinct, far-away sound of someone coughing. Sofia ducked into the shadows and listened. The incessant cough persisted and worsened as it went on. Nails seemed to dance around violently in the person's throat, like a fork in the garbage disposal. Sofia put her hand on her own throat and cringed as the coughing continued. After a few long, painful moments, the person's cough began to calm and eventually stopped.

"Mama, ty v poryadke?" the little voice of a young child was a welcome sound to Sofia's ears. Though she didn't understand the language, she knew that had to be one of her little siblings. She jumped up from her hiding place and ran in the direction where she heard the cough come from. She listened as the conversation continued to guide her in the right direction.

"Da, Kolokol'chik, ya v poryadke." That had to be her stepmother. Left turn.

"V samom dele? Potomu chto kazhetsya, chto ty stanovish'sya khuzhe." Right turn.

"O, malen'kiy kolokol'chik, moy kashel' mozhet pokazat'sya khuzhe, no ya chuvstvuyu sebya namnogo luchshe blagodarya meditsine." Their voices were getting louder, and more distinguishable, even though she still had no idea what they were saying.

"Meditsina ot ved'my ne goditsya! Navernoye, ona delayet tebya khuzhe!" Just as the little girl finished her sentence, Sofia burst into the large room where the woman and the younger girl were. The girl and the woman looked at her, both of them with widened, icy blue eyes. The woman's hair was a color between dark blonde and light brown, and it was pulled back by a dingy, light blue bandana. The little girl had a messy mass of curly, brown hair the same color as Sofia's.

"You! Are you—do you know—Birk Balthazar?" she said through labored breaths.

The woman stumbled to her feet and held on to the cellar bars. "How do you know my husband?" she said in a thick accent.

Sofia tried to calm her breath as she walked closer to cellar bars. "My name—is Sofia—"

"So you're the reason we're in this dungeon!" shouted the little girl suddenly, her face turning red as she jumped up from her seat. Her accent was not nearly as thick as her mother's.

"What?" Sofia gasped, recoiling from the younger girl's apparent rage.

"Anastassia! You know who put us here! Do not blame Sofia!" The woman said harshly, scolding the young girl. "Please excuse her." She said, turning back to Sofia. "What are you doing here? How did you get here? How did you know to come here?"

Sofia took a few more deep breaths before she was able to breathe normally once again. "That's kind of a long story. I can tell you on the way out of here." Said Sofia as she glanced around the room. Just as Zeleny said, there was a staircase directly across from their cell, and just at the foot of it was a key ring hanging on a hook. Sofia hurried and grabbed the key, then jogged over to the cell and unlocked the door.

"I don't understand. You must have come here all the way from Enchancia!" said the woman.

"Yes. Can you walk on your own?" asked Sofia, offering her a hand after she opened the door.

"It is difficult, but yes. Ian is the one who cannot walk well yet." Anya responded—her 'w' sounding more like 'v'— and gestured to a small baby boy, sitting up amidst the fog on the ground.

Sofia took a step towards the little boy, but Anastassia got in her way, stretching her arms out wide. "I can carry my little brother! I don't need your help!"

"Anastassia! Prekratite nemedlenno! Ty slishkom slab, chtoby nesti svoyego brata, i Sofia pytayetsya nam pomoch'! Chto, yesli papa poslal yeye syuda? Vy krichite yemu v litso, kak vy tol'ko chto s ney sdelali?" Sofia wasn't sure what Anya said, but from her tone of voice and the way that Anastassia reacted, she had obviously scolded the child.

The little girl looked down at her feet and then reluctantly stepped aside. Sofia looked from the girl to her stepmother, who gave her a nod of approval. Sofia picked up the baby and held him on her hip. "Hi, my name is Sofia. It's nice to meet you, Ian. Papa has told me all about you." She said softly. He looked up at her with big blue eyes and smiled, showing his two bottom front teeth that were growing in. Sofia giggled. He was surprisingly easy to carry, and when he saw her amulet, he immediately picked it up and began inspecting the gem in his tiny hands.

"That's my amulet. It's very special because my dad gave it to me."

He glanced up at her and cocked his head to the right. "Papa?" he cooed.

"He's asking if _our_ papa got it for you. We know you're our _half-_ sister." Anastassia spat.

The tone in her voice caused Sofia to wince. Ian put his tiny hand on her cheek and looked at her, his crystal blue eyes shining. She couldn't help but smile at his gesture. "No, not Papa. My dad, his name is Roland, but my mom always calls him Rollie." Sofia giggled. "It's funny, when I met Papa, I didn't know that's what you called him. I just wanted to call him something other than dad."

Ian smiled at her, and then turned his attention back to the amulet, petting its shiny magenta stone.

"Come on. Let's go. I know a way out underneath the stairs." Said Sofia.

Anya gave a puzzled look before she nodded and motioned for the two young girls to go before her out of the cell. She then grabbed a lantern that was on the wall and held it up in front of her. There was no regular door apparent underneath the stairway, but if Sofia looked hard enough, she could see the faint outline of where the rocks of the wall looked slightly separated in a crooked arch.

Sofia turned around and faced Anastassia, who had come up and grasped her mother's hand. "Could you hold Ian for a minute, while I open the door?" Sofia asked.

Anastassia looked at her with narrowed eyes for a brief moment, but then held out her arms and helped Ian stand while Sofia searched for a false rock that would probably be covering the keyhole. She put both her hands on the wall, and knocked occasionally, looking for faux rocks. Eventually, she came across one that when she touched it, it jiggled slightly under her hand. She carefully removed the rock to reveal a keyhole not unlike the one on the cell door. She hurried over to the foot of the stairs and removed a loose, heavy stone from the last step. Sure enough, there was a petite key laying there, black and worn. She went back to the hidden door and stuck the key in, then turned the lock. The large door made a deep scraping sound against the hard dirt as it opened inwardly by itself.

"This way." Said the princess.

Anastassia walked her little brother up to Sofia and handed her the little boy's hands. Sofia looked pleasantly surprised at the little girl, and gratefully scooped up the small child in her arms once again before ushering Anya into the tunnel and closing the door behind them. The ground was steeply slanted for the first ten or so meters as it descended below the stairway. It then leveled out, and all that could be seen was a long, black tunnel and the same gray fog hovering just above the ground.

"So, Princess Sofia. Just how, how does a young girl like you get to a prison like this? How did you find us, how did you know where the key was, and how did you know this tunnel was here, and where it leads?" Anya asked as they made their way slowly through the dark, narrow, sloped hallway.

"Oh, well, you know. Papa told me about you guys." She said somewhat nervously.

Anya raised an eyebrow. "Birk told you that we were trapped in a dungeon by an evil witch?"

"Well… not exactly. That, I learned that from… a friend."

"A friend?" Anya responded with dry disbelief.

"Well, yes and no. I guess you could say, a birdy told me."

"You are aware that I am not, stupid, yes?" Anya said, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course!" Sofia exclaimed, turning a light shade of pink.

"Then why don't you tell me how you got here all by yourself?"

Sofia sighed heavily. "Ok. I know it sounds crazy, but a bird really did tell me that you were here. He was an enormous black bird that came to my window and he could actually talk... I think. At first he was just there to ask for help to break a curse that Vasilia put him under. You see, my amulet has great magical powers that no one really understands and he thought it might be able to break the curse. Then, since Vasilia imprisoned him, he knew about Papa, and about you. He was the one who told me you were trapped here. Then, I got on his back and he flew me here. I meant to ask him to go and get Papa, but we flew so fast that by the time I remembered, we were already flying over Friezenburg. I'm not sure how long the flight took. I slept almost the whole way. Then he brought me here and told me about the key and the tunnel."

Anya was speechless for a moment as she marveled at the young girl before she was finally able to shut her mouth and use it to speak. "You're right. That does sound crazy."

Sofia just giggled nervously and shrugged her shoulders.

"But you know, you are truly selfless if you'd risk all of that to save us. There are no words to express our gratitude, Princess Sofia."

"Oh, just Sofia is fine. And don't thank me just yet, let's wait until we're all safe Mrs. Balthazar." Said the girl as she bounced the toddler on her side once to prevent him from falling.

"Oh please, Sofia, call me Anya." The woman said with a smile.

Sofia felt somewhat relieved inside. The title, Mrs. Balthazar, felt so strange coming from her mouth. "Right, Anya." She smiled.

There was a moment of silence before Anya spoke again. "So you say a giant bird scooped you up and brought you here in the middle of the night. What about your parents? I get the feeling that you did not tell them where you were going."

Sofia cast her eyes down to the floor as Amber's scream played back in her memory. "Not exactly. I did tell my sister, Amber. She tried to keep me from coming, but I couldn't just sit at home while I knew a part of my family was in trouble."

"You are a very brave girl, Sofia. And while I am thankful for your actions, I cannot help but think that your sister was right. You should not have come here, it's too dangerous for you."

"What about you! I heard how sick you are, and if it's dangerous for me, how much more dangerous is it for Anastassia and Ian?"

"You speak the truth, but now you walked right into Vasilia's domain and she wants your amulet. If she finds out you're here, she'll capture you and put us right back in prison."

Sofia furrowed her brow and looked down at Ian, who continued to roll her amulet around in his hands. "But why does she want it in the first place? I know it has powerful magic, but what could she want it for?"

"For something evil." Anastassia piped up, her tone dripping with malice.

Anya looked down at her daughter sadly. "Of that, I have no doubt, little bell. But I have no idea what sinister plans she has in mind. I just hope we can escape before finding out."

Sofia nodded in agreement and the group walked silently for a long while. The tunnel was completely straight. All they could see past the limited light of their lantern was a seemingly unending blackness in the dark and silent underground. The only thing that broke the silence was their footsteps, and the occasional cough from Anya. Ian started to doze off on Sofia's shoulder and as his muscles relaxed, he got heavier in her arms. Every so often, she would switch him between arms to give the other a rest. When she did so, he would only open his eyes briefly before settling back down and cuddling into her shoulder.

"Mama, my feet hurt." Anastassia said. She did not wine, she stated it, as if it were a matter of fact. It was not the way in which a small child would normally complain about walking for such a long time.

"I know, little bell. I might not be able to do it for long, but I could carry you for a little while." Said Anya.

"No, mama don't worry, they only hurt a little bit. I can keep going." Said the small girl.

Anya gave a small smile to her daughter and grasped her hand tighter. It both inspired Sofia and broke her heart. All this time while she was enjoying time with her papa, her family was suffering. All those times she'd seen heartbreak behind his eyes, even on the most beautiful days, now made sense. She had thought before that he just felt bad about what happened with him and her mom, but now she knew that his concern extended far beyond that. Guilt weighed on her heart like massive cinderblocks on her shoulders. Why did she have to get this amulet? Why was she the cause of her own family's troubles? This would have never happened if not for this dumb amulet! She found herself getting angry, wishing that the amulet never chose her in the first place. But then, a gentle voice in Sofia's mind spoke to her. She was able to help Minimus's brother Massimo finally find a place where he could be happy. Because of her, Miss Nettle was finally able to let go of her bitterness and was thriving among the people of Friezenburg. She was the only princess in forty-one years that was able to finally release Princess Elena from the Amulet. Now, most importantly, she was chosen to be the one who could rescue her own family from the clutches of a mysterious witch. The Amulet chose her for a reason, and she wasn't going to shy away from her duties as its bearer.

"I'm sorry I've caused so much trouble for you all. But I promise that I will get you out of here, no matter what." Sofia said as she looked up from the ground and at her newfound family members.

"Thank you, Sofia. But I want you to know that we do not blame you for what has happened to us. We know full well that it is because of Vasilia's greed and lust for power. We are thankful that you are the one to help us escape from her. It is beyond anything I ever could have imagined and I can't believe you would risk your life for us. We are strangers to each other, and I'm amazed that you'd do so much for someone you don't know."

"Just because I don't know you very well yet, doesn't mean we're strangers. You're part of my family. It's kind of an obvious choice." Sofia said, a soft grin spreading across her face.

The two shared a laugh while Anastassia walked between them, her face scrunching up in a scowl as she clutched onto her mother's hand tighter.

"Anastassia, what's the matter?" Sofia asked.

The small girl looked up at her, eyes filling with tears. "You weren't supposed to come and save us! Papa was! Because of you, Papa had to leave us here so he could go meet you! I know that evil lady is the one who made him go and get the amulet, but I heard him talking to Mama, and he said that he wanted to try and be your papa also. That's why he stayed away so long! He was trying to be your papa again and he could get the stupid amulet too! I hate you! But now that you're saving us, I can't hate you as much, and that makes me feel mad. And I don't like it."

"Anastassia!" Anya hissed.

"No, it's okay." Sofia stopped and turned around to face the younger girl. "I get it. I'd be mad at me too. You can be angry at me all you want, that's ok, even if you never ever forgive me." Said Sofia sadly. "But you see, that's also why I have to help you. It's because of me that you are all in this mess, the least I can do is help get you out."

Anastassia folded her arms and narrowed her eyes. "Well, I don't know if you can, but maybe if you actually do get us out, then maybe I can forgive you."

One corner of Sofia's mouth turned up in a half-smile. "That's all I can really ask for. I really am sorry that you guys were put in this horrible place because of my amulet. But I promise that I'll do everything in my power to make sure you get out safely. We are family, afterall, even if we did just meet a little while ago. And families should stick together."

Anastassia shifted her weight from one foot to the other and glanced down at the dirt floor in thoughtful consideration of Sofia's words. They struck her—made her feel weird. She still hated the girl, but there was something inside that made her feel bad for hating her. Maybe she really wanted to like her, but how could she when she was the girl who made Papa go away?

As Anastassia continued to ponder her confusing feelings, her mother spoke up. "I want to remind the both of you that Sofia is not the reason we were put here. It was Vasilia. Now please, let us keep going. I'm sure we've got to be getting close to the exit."

Anya was right. Not too long after Sofia and Anastassia's confrontation they saw a small set of stairs leading to a wooden door. In total, the group must have walked for a little more than an hour, as they had to stop often and allow Anya to rest. Sofia was grateful to finally see the door; perhaps there would be a village near the castle where they could find a place to rest. That would mean more walking, and out in the bitter cold of the night wind, but the door at the end of the tunnel gave her hope.

"Come on, there's the end of the tunnel!" exclaimed Sofia, readjusting Ian once again. Her arms were so tired from carrying the child, she would be grateful to have a place to rest soon.

Anya picked her head up. She had been leaning on the wall for support and was growing extremely weary, but the sight of the door brought to her a small burst of energy. When the group got near the door, Anya slumped against the wall as a wretched cough racked her body.

Sofia took the lantern from her and tried to help her get into a comfortable seated position while still holding Ian. "Here, sit down and let's rest for a while. We're going to need the strength to go out into the cold and find the closest town for shelter." She said.

The assault on Anya's lungs continued for a few painful moments and left her voice hoarse. "Thank you Sofia. Here, let me hold Ian. Your arms must be very tired." Anya responded once her cough subsided. Sofia handed her the sleeping child and took a seat on the bottom stair while Anastassia plopped on the ground next to her mother and snuggled into her arm, closing her eyes.

"Anya, do you have any idea where the closest town might be?" Sofia asked after a moment.

"It depends. I do not know where we will come out. There is a village less than five kilometers away to the North side of the castle, but if we come out at the south wall, the closest village is a fifteen-kilometer hike down the mountain. It would be risky to walk around the castle with Vasilia on the lookout, but it would be our best bet to find shelter to the North if we could."

"Well, we'll find out where we are once we're out of this place, but we can figure out where to go after we rest a while." Sofia responded.

Anya nodded and hugged her children closer to her as her eyelids became heavier. Sofia figured it would do more harm than good to not allow them to sleep for at least a short while. She was not sleepy, but her body was definitely tired from carrying Ian for so long, so she scooted over to the wall opposite her family and lay back against it. Looking around in the dim light, she noticed that the fog that floated near the ground had dissipated. In the silence of the corridor she could only hear the easy breathing of her family; the sound calmed her and the ominous presence that she had felt in the dungeon was completely gone. She breathed a sigh of relief and allowed herself to relax a little bit. She felt as if loving arms wrapped around her and her newfound family, allowing them the sweet but short bliss of rest. Even Sofia closed her eyes for what seemed like a moment.

There was no way to know how long she had been asleep, but Sofia knew they had to get going soon. When she opened her eyes, it seemed as though Anastassia had the same thought, as she was already awake and nudging her mother to try and rouse her. "Mama, get up. We have to get somewhere safe to sleep."

Anya stirred and looked up at her daughter with sleepy bags under her eyes. "Of course. Sofia, could you help me up, please?"

"Sure." Sofia said, extending both her hands. Anya took hold of her wrist and held Ian with her other arm while Sofia dug her heels into the ground and pulled the woman up, practically rocketing her to her feet. She was a lot lighter than Sofia had anticipated as the effort Sofia exerted forced Anya jump to her feet.

"Oh! Thank you. I think I can carry Ian for a while, now that I've rested a bit." Anya said smiling at the girl.

"Sorry about that, I guess I don't know my own strength!" A slight blush crossed Sofia's cheeks as she rubbed the back of her neck. "If you need me to take him, just let me know." She said, climbing up the short flight of stairs. She inserted the key into the hole and gave it a turn, causing a click to emanate from the door. She pulled down on the handle and pushed. To her surprise, the sun was just beginning to come up. Though the orb of light was nowhere to be seen in the sky, its glow peeked up from behind the horizon just enough to coat the landscape in a misty grey hue. Sofia held the door open for her family and glanced around, looking for which direction the sun was coming up. From the looks of it, it was coming mainly from her left and there was a large cliff not far from where they came out.

"It looks like this is the south end of the castle." Said Sofia, disappointment clouding her tone.

Anya stood fully upright after having to stoop to come through the door, and then glanced around at the scenery. She sighed heavily. "It certainly looks that way. The sun is going to start coming up soon. Perhaps if we go west, around the castle, stay in the shadows as long as possible, then we can make the rest of the trip hidden in the trees."

"I think that's our safest option right now. It's either that or try and start trekking down the cliff." Said Sofia with a nod.

"Right. Let's go." Said Anya coughing lightly.

"Do you want me to take Ian?" asked Sofia.

"No, thank you. I think I will be okay for now." After she said it though, her cough worsened. Relentlessly, her lungs convulsed; she held an arm up to her mouth to keep from coughing on her son and quickly pulled out an old rag from her dress to cough into. She laboriously handed the child to Sofia before leaning against the wall as the cough continued to wrack her body. Anastassia scurried to her mother and grabbed her arm as the woman slumped against the wall and tried to guide her to sit down. Sofia watched, a pained grimace spreading across her face. The sleeping baby didn't even stir at the horrendous noise; he was probably used to the sound by now if they had been in that dungeon for so long. She was worried that the sound would attract attention to their location, but there was nothing she could really do except wait for Anya to be able to walk again.

After a few long painful moments, Anya's cough began to diminish. Once it had subsided, Anastassia grabbed her mother's arm and clung to it tightly. As Anya stowed the rag back in her dress; Sofia saw blotches of blood that covered it. She watched with a grave expression as the woman touched her daughter's head affectionately and huddled close to the girl. They needed to get to a village as soon as possible.

"Anya, can you walk? We really must get you to a village for some help." said Sofia after a moment.

"Yes." Anya responded as she slowly put one knee up, pushing against it and the wall to get up.

Sofia furrowed her brow, knowing that Anya would not be able to walk all the way to the village without help. She bounced Ian to her side and made sure she had a firm grip on him before she walked over to his mother. "Here. Lean on me." She said, putting an arm around the woman's small waist.

"No Sofia, I could not ask you to do that." Anya protested.

"You need help, Anya. I know you're trying to be strong, but you don't have to do this alone, that's why I'm here." Sofia took Anya's arm and placed it over her shoulder.

Anya breathed a laugh and smiled, looking from Sofia to her daughter. "You sound like Anastassia."

Sofia smiled and looked at her little sister. "It sounds like you and I might have something in common, then."

The younger girl watched in conflicted awe as Sofia carried her bother and supported her mother. She trailed behind for a short while in deep thought as they slowly began to make their way West around the castle. Her brows arched down and her little fists balled up as tension passed across her young face. Something about the princess just made it impossible to hate her. It was either that, or Anastassia felt guilty for wanting to blame her for something that wasn't her fault. After a few more thoughtful moments, she hurried around and took her mother's free hand and looked directly at Sofia.

"Families stick together." she said.

"That's right." Sofia nodded with a smile.

"Oh, what a touching moment." An unearthly voice came from out of thin air just before a cloud of dark smoke swirled in front of them.

Sofia instinctively braced herself and got in front of Anya and Anastassia, making sure to turn her left side turned in toward the group so that Ian was also protected.

"Well done, Princess Sofia. I'm so glad you finally got out of that tunnel. My goodness it took a long time! Luckily I am a patient woman." From the pillar of smoke emerged a tall, slender woman. Her face like a pristinely cut, unpolished diamond with angles sharp, not yet dulled, and dangerous to the touch; her skin seemed to shine with an unearthly pallor in the shadow of the raising sun. Around her shoulders draped a long, dark indigo cloak with a large fur collar; it cascaded down to her feet, where an amethyst smoke lay wafting around the bottom, making her look as if she were hovering centimeters above the ground.

"It's no wonder the Amulet chose you. You are quite a brave girl indeed." The woman purred.

"Who are you?" Sofia asked, furrowing her brow.

The woman let out a deep chuckle. "Why don't you ask your dear stepmother?"

Sofia looked cautiously back at Anya. "Vasilia." The frail woman whispered through her hoarse voice.

"Let us go!" Sofia yelled.

"Really, Sofia, are you in a place to be making such demands?" Vasilia folded her arms and put a finger on her triangular chin. "Look at poor, dear Anya, she can hardly take another step. Just what exactly was your plan, even if you were able to escape from my castle? You have no flying horses, nor any other way of transportation. You couldn't have gotten too far away from me before I'd find you anyway. Perhaps your bravery is better stated as stupidity? There is such a fine line between the two." the woman smirked wickedly.

Sofia clenched her jaw and stared the woman in the face, saying nothing.

"Oh, Sofia. Don't look at me like that," Vasilia cooed. "I have been taking good care of your family for months now. Really, you should have seen dear Anya when she got here. She was barely alive, now look at her: walking by herself, carrying her child, you really ought to be thanking me."

"Don't listen to her, Sofia!" Said Anastassia.

Sofia looked back at her younger sister, who had come out from behind Anya's leg still clutching onto her mother's frock. She nodded at the small girl.

"Oh, the little bell tolls again!" Vasilia clapped her hands together mockingly before lazily pointing a long white finger at the child. "Little brat never has appreciated the progress her mother has made. I guess she's a bit bitter about their living conditions. Understandable. She's taken on quite a bit of hatred towards me it seems. I'm flattered, really. Anastassia indeed has the makings of a young mage, and I'm happy to provide a little kindling for the power inside of her. She quite reminds me of me, though I was much older when I embraced the true source of my power."

Anastassia gritted her teeth and glowered at the woman. "I'll never be like you, suka!"

"Anastassia!" Anya exclaimed.

"Oh! I have always liked that about you! A little bell, ringing with rage! It is music to my ears." The witch laughed.

"Stop it! We're not afraid of you! Anastassia, don't listen to her." Said Sofia firmly. The younger girl locked eyes with her sister and growled a reluctant sigh.

"Well, well! It seems like you two have come quite a ways since you first met. I guess you'd tell me it has something to 'family." Vasilia scoffed as she raised her fingers in air quotes. "Though, I guess it is quite a good thing you have developed such a strong bond already. Makes this part much more fun!" Vasilia took a ghostly step towards the family and paced back and forth slowly in front of them.

"I'll tell you how this is going to work, Sofia. Either you give me your amulet and I'll take extra good care of you and your family until Birk returns, or you refuse and I take you back to the dungeon and possibly inflict some mild torture on your dear Anya. It's your choice." Vasilia folded her arms again and smirked, her thin lips turning up in a wickedly smug smile.

Sofia swallowed hard. Vasilia had known all along that she was in her castle, but how? Oh well, she didn't have time to speculate, there was a more pressing matter at hand. "That doesn't sound much like a choice." Sofia said, chewing the consonants angrily.

"Oh, but of course it is! I can't very well let you go before Birk gets back, I'd be breaking my promise! The choice is, see your family tortured, or cared for. All you need to do is give me your amulet. It's really quite simple, Sofia." She said as she folded her slender hands at her chest.

The crease between Sofia's eyebrows grew more prominent as she squeezed them together, glaring silently at the witch.

"Ohhh, having a second thought, Sofia? I thought you'd immediately hand the Amulet over for the good of your family. I guess I was wrong about you. Perhaps you're not as pure-hearted as I thought." She said, popping the 't' at the end of the word. A deep, menacing chuckle emanated from Vasilia's throat as she kept eye contact with the princess. Sofia clutched her amulet as she adjusted the baby her hip. A dark silence lingered in the air as the wind blew past them, causing the freezing air to seep through their coats. Vasilia smirked and inhaled sharply, then spoke breathily as the air escaped her dark lips. "I guess I'll take your silence to mean that you'll keep your Amulet. Oh well, more fun for me. Maybe you'll change your mind after witnessing a little torture." Vasilia twirled her hand with a wicked grin plastered on her pale face. Her eyes glowed an unearthly magenta as a swirl of dark purple clouds danced around the group's feet. Sofia's eyes widened as she huddled closer to her family before the cloud completely enveloped them.


	22. Chapter 22:Messages

**Hello again! Thank you all so much for your reviews and favorites and follows!**

 **Special shoutout to Starkvb-since I can't actually message you- Thanks! I'm so glad you're enjoying it!**

 **I'd like to take a brief moment to thank my lovely beta readers! atremismk1.2 and AquaTurqoise, you guys give me so much encouragement with this story and I'm so thankful that you take time out of your busy schedules to help me make sure this story is ready to send to my readers!**

 **Without further adieu, here's the new chapter. Enjoy!**

Chapter 22: Messages

When the cloud of smoke cleared, Sofia found herself back in the darkness of the dungeon, the same gray haze floating around her ankles in the dim light. She was alone in a cell, but saw the rest of her family two cells down from her. Anastassia stepped away from her mother and up to the prison bars, grasping onto them as she stared at Sofia.

Sofia grabbed the bars of her own cell and gazed sadly back at the young girl. "I'm so sorry, Anastassia."

"I hope you know what you're doing," the little girl responded, her voice as low and as threatening as a four-year-old's could be.

Sofia felt each of her pockets for the key she had taken earlier, but it was nowhere to be found. She thought for a moment and then flashed a smile at the little girl. "I think I have an idea. I wish to be small," she said, grasping her Amulet. In an instant, Sofia shrunk to the size of a thumb and jogged forward to jump between the bars. She was just about to make it through when she was suddenly knocked back onto her rear and returned to her normal size.

"What?" Sofia gasped as she sat, dumbfounded.

"How'd you—what just happened?" Anastassia stuttered, clutching harder onto the prison bars.

"I—I don't know. There must be some sort of barrier in between the bars." Sofia crawled back to the bars, her mind somewhat hazy from being zapped. She hesitantly stuck her hand between the bars and winced in anticipation of the shock, but she easily reached through them and grasped at empty air.

"Huh! Where did it go?" she exclaimed breathlessly.

"Did your amulet do that?" asked the little girl.

Sofia hadn't really heard her little sister as she was still somewhat disoriented from being knocked back. "I bet Vasilia must have put some sort of magic nullification barrier or something on these bars," she murmured.

"No, not that Sofia! How did you turn tiny?" exclaimed Anastassia.

Sofia looked up and shook her head slightly, warding off the haze that clouded her senses. "Oh, right, sorry. Um, well, my amulet can turn me small, so I thought I'd be able to jump through the bars. But it looks like there's some sort of magical barrier that won't let me pass through."

Anastassia hummed as she put her hand on her small, pointed chin. "Could your amulet undo it?"

Sofia pulled against the bars to help herself up. "I don't know. I gained some more control over it when I released a princess that was trapped inside, but I'm not sure it really works like a wand."

"What good is a magic amulet if you can't even use it for what you want?" Anastassia groaned as she slumped against the bars.

"Indeed, my dear little Anastassia. What good is the Amulet of Avalor without the proper knowledge of how to use it?" Vasilia's chilling voice came through the corridor as she walked down the stairs of the cellar.

"Vasilia," Sofia hissed, clutching tightly to the prison bars.

"Hello, Princess Sofia. So nice to see you again," Vasilia crooned as she sauntered down the stairs, her eyes shining a bright magenta in the candle light. "I was going to come down here and offer you one more chance to give me your amulet without torturing dear Anya, but your little escape attempt must come with consequences. Vlad!"

The same humongous man who had so kindly fed Sofia a few hours ago came trudging down the steps, slouching his broad shoulders. Once he got to the bottom of the stairs, he was able to stand to his full height, causing his neatly coiffured, black hair to graze the ceiling.

"Mr. Vladimir? What are you doing here?" Sofia asked, baffled.

He clasped his hands together in front of him and merely scowled at the girl, saying nothing.

"Vlad here, is my—oh what would you call him? Assistant, perhaps? Would you agree, Vlad?" she asked, raising a slender eyebrow as a wicked smirk spread across her lips.

The man stood silently and glanced at her from the corner of his eye; the lines around his mouth highlighting his permanent scowl.

"Awe, would you look at that. He's being shy. Don't worry, he's much gentler than he looks," she purred, caressing one of his arms, which looked just about as thick as the slender woman's waist. His face seemed unchanging as he stared, silent and brooding; the blinking of his dark blue eyes, being the only visible movement.

"Vlad, would you be a dear and relocate Anya and the Princess to cell block D?" Vasilia requested, her lips pursed in a gentle pout.

Without even acknowledging her Vlad moved toward the cells, Vasilia's long, spindly fingers lingering on his shoulder as he walked away from her.

"Thank you very much," she hummed.

It only took him three steps to get to their cells as he turned his attention to the one with the small family. After he opened the cell door, he stood by Anya, making her look like a child and waited for her to put Ian down on one of the blankets that was on the floor. He then grabbed her, his massive hand engulfing her forearm as he effortlessly pulled her to her feet.

He then came to Sofia's cell and unlocked the door. Sofia stared up at him silently for a moment, scrutinizing the large man. She looked past him at the witch, who arched one slender eyebrow at the princess mockingly. Then, like a switch, everything clicked in her mind. "You were Annissa the Amiable!" she exclaimed, pointing a finger at Vasilia.

Vasilia threw her head back in a haunting melodious cackle. "I'm surprised it took you this long to figure out! Really Sofia, with all the reconnaissance I had done, I thought this would be more difficult. You really aren't living up to my expectations," she said, waving a condescending hand in the air.

"What did you do to Zeleny?" Sofia demanded, taking a step out of the cell towards the witch. Vlad's heavy hand squeezed her shoulder hard enough that she winced from the pain.

"Zeleny! Oh, I really must commend him. He did an excellent job playing the part and delivering you into my hand. Perhaps I'll treat him to a salmon dinner. It is his favorite." The woman mused as a smirk spread across her face.

Sofia's heart sunk as the realization struck her. "No… It was all a lie?" she whispered.

"All a lie? Not really, it was more like many half-truths. Your family is here, aren't they?"

"What about the other wishing birds?" Sofia asked as she shifted her shoulder uncomfortably, trying to get Vlad to loosen his grip. To her dismay he only held tighter to her and she winced again, squeezing her eyes shut as she tried to keep from crying out.

Vasilia chuckled and took a few lackadaisical steps towards the two prisoners. "So he told you about that, did he? I tell you, before Zeleny, good magical help was so hard to find, and those insolent birds were not keen on doing my bidding." She stopped in front of Sofia and looked down at her from behind her slender nose. "A word of advise—it's useless to struggle against Vlad." She then looked up at the man and raised one of her slender eyebrows. "Unless you want him to get rough." She slunk behind him with a devilish smile and gently thrummed her fingers on top of his shoulder.

Vlad's upper lip twitched ever so slightly as a sneer threatened to appear on his face. Though the movement was almost imperceptible, it was the biggest reaction Anya had ever seen from the man. If she hadn't been standing so close to him, she surely wouldn't have been able to see it. His hand tensed on Sofia's shoulder, but this time she felt the pressure of his grip ease up so that he was no longer squeezing the tender muscle. Though Sofia was relieved and thankful, she furrowed her brow, wondering curiously as she glanced at his hand.

"Take them away, Vlad. I'll be along shortly," breathed Vasilia giving an airy, dismissive flick of her wrist.

Vlad whipped the two prisoners around and lead them down a corridor through the dungeon, away from the vile woman. After they were a good enough distance away from the main cellblock, Vlad loosened his grip almost completely on Sofia, merely resting his heavy hand on her shoulder, while keeping Anya firmly supported without squeezing her.

Sofia looked up at him and opened her mouth to speak, but he eyed her threateningly; his brow furrowed so that it cast a dark shadow across his eyes, making him look even more intimidating in the dim candlelight. Sofia immediately shut her mouth and jerked her head back down, focusing her sight on the corridor in front of her as the party continued their trek in silence.

A moment later, they came to a large room with chains bolted to the floor on each side. Vlad walked to one set of shackles, pushed Sofia to her knees, and locked her hands and feet in the cuffs. He then did the same to Anya on the opposite side of the room. When he was done, he went and stood at the door and gazed directly at Anya. He quickly cast his eyes up to the two back corners of the room before returning his eyes to her, and then turned around, slamming the door behind him. A loud click sounded the closure of the lock.

Sofia turned to her stepmother and looked at her in confusion. "What was that about?"

Anya looked up at her and subtly rocked her head back and forth before glancing up to the corner of the room behind the princess. Sofia was about to turn her head to see what she was looking at, but Anya clenched her jaw and shook her head with small, rapid movements.

Before Sofia had any more time to be confused, a click sounded at the door and Vasilia drifted through the door. She folded her hands in front of her and a wolfish grin spread across her face as she moved towards Anya, her gown wafting like a phantom, she kept her magenta eyes on Sofia. "Now, Printsessa. I want you to watch very carefully," she instructed, sliding a pale finger across Anya's chin. "If you look away, there will be consequences and I do so want you to stay conscious. It makes it so much more fun!"

Sofia tried to swallow the lump in her throat. "W-what are you going to do to us?"

Vasilia stalked around Anya and ghosted her fingers across the woman's chains. "Oh, nothing life threatening, to be sure; though it would be more fun. I have a bargain to keep and I don't break my promises."

The chains began to rustle where Vasilia had touched them and slowly began lifting Anya into the air. Sofia's body trembled in fear and uncertainty as she watched her stepmother raise into the air until her limbs were splayed out like a star.

Vasilia's eyes flashed bright magenta as her chains tightened around Anya's wrists and ankles. "Now don't look away, I wouldn't want you to miss any of the fun!"

—

Amber lay awake in her bed for some time, trying to dispel thoughts of what might happen to Sofia. She couldn't bear the thought of losing her sister, and she tried her best to just focus on flying during the day, but in the quiet of the night, when everyone else was sleeping, it was too easy to let her mind wander, entertaining every fear she had in regards to the situation. She starred at the bottom corner of her tent, laying on her side, wishing for sleep to take over. She didn't know how long she'd been awake, though it felt like she'd been fading in and out of sleep for hours.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of a crunching stick come from outside her tent. She let out a silent gasp, tensing her muscles as she listened closely. _It's just one of the soldiers, no doubt._ The sound of crunching snow neither ceased, nor dwindled. Footsteps stalked slowly around Amber's tent.

The princess sat bolt upright in her bed. "Who's there?" she asked, making an effort to be heard by the figure stalking out of her tent, while not disturbing others in the camp.

The footsteps stopped.

Amber's breath hitched in her throat as she drew her sleeping bag up near her chest. There was a moment of silence before the sound of crunching snow sounded again and the footsteps came around to the front of her tent and the flap of her tent was quickly brushed to the side.

Amber let out a shriek as she jerked back from the door and instinctively stuck one hand out in front of her face.

"Amber, relax! It's me!" whispered her brother, reaching his hand out to her.

Amber breathed a sigh and put her hand on her chest. "James! You nearly scared me to death! You're lucky I didn't have anything to throw at you!" she scolded quietly.

James couldn't help but chuckle. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he said as a playful smile spread across his face.

"What did you expect to happen when you come skulking around my tent?" she spat.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he apologized, his smile still apparent. "But come with me, I found something."

Amber jerked her head back and aggressively raised an eyebrow at him.

"Just trust me. Grab your coat," he ordered, releasing the tent door, then disappearing behind it.

Whatever it was must have been something her brother thought was important, or he wouldn't have been acting so strange. Then again, when didn't he act strangely? Amber rolled her eyes and threw her sleeping bag off of her anyway. She reached into her pack and felt around for her coat. After a few seconds of rustling around, she identified her coat by the soft, faux fur around the hood. As she fished out the long coat and slipped both arms into it, a small cube rolled out from the bundled up piece of fabric.

Amber looked down at the ornate, wooden box and then picked it up, eyeing it as she rubbed her lips together in thought. Amber shrugged and stuffed the box into her pocket before slipping her boots on and headed out of her tent.

"Alright, what is it?" Amber breathed as she buttoned up the last few buttons on her coat.

James put a finger to his lips and grabbed her wrist, pulling her behind him. Amber was surprised, but she followed him as he led her away from camp, past sleepy snores coming from the tents, and into the woods.

"James, mind telling me where we're going?" Amber asked. Now that they were out of earshot of the camp, she didn't have to work so hard to keep her voice as quiet.

"Don't worry, we're almost there," he said, glancing back at her.

Amber let out an exasperated sigh. "Ugh fine." Normally, she would have had a string of witty comments or questions prepared about how ridiculous this was, or the obscene hour he had woken her up, and go on a rant about how she must get her beauty rest. But she was too tired to go through all of the effort.

James stopped in front of a large tree with a trunk that may have been as big around as a pelicant's stomach. When he put his hand on the dark trunk, faint glowing ripples of bluish green shown around his palm. Amber raised an eyebrow as her brother turned back to her and flashed a smile. "Come on!" he said, before disappearing into the tree with a bluish green bloop of light.

"James!" Amber gasped quietly. A hand stuck out of the tree, ribbons of blue-green light glowing around his wrist. "Ah!" She looked at the hand apprehensively before grabbing hold of it.

"Whoa!" the girl exclaimed as James pulled her in forcefully and she stumbled through the strange tree.

Amber stood up and took in the scene around her. Everything around her was like fluffy, pastel clouds; shades of pale pink blended together in soft orange whirls as a faint ethereal mist shrouded them.

"What is this place?" Amber breathed out in quiet awe.

"I came to this place eons ago," said James.

Amber turned and looked at her brother. "What do you mean by that?" she asked, raising a quizzical eyebrow.

James chuckled. "Come on, you'll see."

"Wha-Ahh!" James suddenly took hold of her wrist again and stepped forward, sending both of them into a sudden free-fall. Amber's stomach lurched as she screamed, shielding her eyes as the wind blew past her. It was a few long seconds before Amber opened her eyes hesitantly and saw them hurtling into a big, dark blue abyss. Amber let out a deafening screech and covered her eyes once again with her free hand. Wind whistled endlessly past her face as the pair fell for a few more seconds.

Soon, they began to decelerate and Amber's scream slowly diminished. They continued to slow until they stopped in mid air. Amber couldn't feel ground with her feet and pointed her toes, trying to stand. Still holding on to James's wrist, she slowly removed her other arm from her eyes. Before her was an endless dark blue chasm, filled with glowing orbs of light as far as she could see, like the observatory when the star map lit up, only infinite. She looked up at James and he was hovering below her, standing in the air with his hand on his hip and a smile on his face.

"Wha- are you standing!?" Amber exclaimed.

James laughed. "Technically we both are!"

"What are you talking about!? I'm floating in the air, staring down into an abyss!" the girl cried with eyes wide, nearly bulging out of her head.

"In the Realm of Stars, every which way can be up. It's just a matter of perspective," said James, still grinning. He pulled himself toward his sister and put both of his hands on her shoulders as the two got closer together and eventually faced each other. "There," the boy smirked. "Now we're both facing the same way. But who knows, we could be sideways, upside down, diagonal, it just depends on how you think about it." He flashed a toothy grin at her.

Amber looked down at the infinite stars in the void of dark navy blue and attempted to calm her breathing. She closed her eyes briefly and tried to imagine like she was standing amidst the stars as she was in the observatory. To her surprise, it worked. She suddenly felt more at ease with the strange place once she had oriented herself. Though her heart was still racing, it did not feel like it was going to explode out of her chest. "Wh-Where are we?" She asked, clenching her fists around the fabric of the coat on her brother's shoulders.

"I told you. The Realm of Stars." He smiled.

"What's the Realm of Stars? How do you know this place?" she asked as the fear dwindled slightly from her face.

"Well, it's also known as The Realm of Transformation. It's where I reside." The boy shrugged.

"James, what are you talking about? You're not making sense!" Amber gasped.

"Oh, sorry, I guess I forgot to mention. I'm not James," he remarked with a toothy grin.

Amber shrieked and pushed herself away from the stranger in her brother's body. "Who are you!? Why did you steal my brother's body to lure me here?" She exclaimed. Just then, she realized she continued to move away from the boy slowly and she wasn't slowing down. She screamed again as she mimicked the motion of swimming in an attempt to get back to her brother. He chuckled again and folded his arms, but she continued to float away from him as he slowly disappeared from view.

"James!" She cried. She could hear no response from him. "JAMES!" she yelled louder. "Ohh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no! WHAT IS GOING ON!?" Amber screamed as she continued to float in the abyss. "Oh gosh! What have I done! I lost my only chance of getting out of this place! What am I gonna do when Mom and Dad find out? They'll be so mad! Or worse, they won't even be able to be mad if they think I'm dead! They'll come looking for me and they'll never find me and I'm going to be floating forever in this eternal void! What about Sofia? I've got to get out of here to save her! Ohhhh, JAMES!" She had no idea what was going on. Even though the boy stated that he was not her brother, all she wished was to be back with him and to stop floating endlessly in this void. Maybe she was dreaming? But everything felt so real. Then again, the recurring nightmare she had of Sofia felt real every night it plagued her. Yes, that must be it, she was dreaming! Just a second later, she felt herself bump into something.

"Oof, there you are!" It was the voice of her brother, and Amber felt a hand close over her forearm. Amber reached for him and clutched his forearm as they held onto each other. The pair threatened to float apart before they pulled themselves back together again.

"JAMES! Oh thank goodness!" she exclaimed, embracing the boy. "Wait, how did I get back here? What in the world is going on!?" Amber's breath slowly escalated as she looked at her brother, a smile still spread across his face.

"I wouldn't necessarily say that this is the world you know. The power of will is a lot stronger here."

"What is that supposed to mean? Speak plainly, James! Or whoever you are!" Amber cried as her face began turning red.

The boy chuckled. "I do apologize, Amber. This is the face you trust the most right now. I didn't mean to frighten you."

"Well, you should have thought of that before you sent us hurdling into this endless abyss!" She shouted.

He chuckled again. "Endless, it is not, but it does not follow the same rules as your realm. My name is Hecatus. I have been charged with aiding in the protection of this realm. Please, accept my penitence, I really did not mean to cause you any alarm," he said, bowing his head.

"Apology _not_ accepted! Not until you tell me why you brought me here against my will." The princess sneered.

The boy who wore the face of her brother turned one corner of his lip up into a slight smirk. "Technically, you decided to follow me here."

" _Technically_ , you stole my brother's face so I would trust you and _dragged_ me here!"

"Alright. Fair point." The boy chuckled, shrugging his shoulders as a smile tugged at his lips. "But it was only because Mother asked me to."

Amber gave him a deadpan expression. "Your mother?"

The doppelganger nodded his head. "Yes. She has sent someone to speak with you about the relic she gave you."

Amber jerked her head back in surprise and furrowed her brow before reaching her hand into her pocket. "Relic?" she asked.

"Yes. I deposited it in your bag not long ago," he answered with a smile.

"You mean this?" Amber pulled the small box out of her pocket. "You're the one who put this in my pack?"

"Oh! Perfect, you brought it with you! Come with me! The one Mother has chosen to speak with you has been waiting." The boy grinned

Before Amber could say anything else, her bother's doppelganger grabbed hold of her hand, and before she could blink, she was in front of her mother. No, not Miranda. The woman who gave birth to her. The former Queen of Enchancia. Her face was just as Amber remembered it, though there was no trace of the sickness that had plagued her. Her dress was the most beautiful Amber had ever seen. It was a warm ivory color with golden accents and shining peridot gems lining the bodice. Her face shone with the youthful radiance Amber recalled from her early childhood. Tears formed in the princess's eyes as she let out shaky breaths, her whole body trembling. "It's you," she uttered as a tear trickled down her left cheek.

"Hello, Amber. It has been too long," said the Queen gently, extending her arms.

Amber forgot about the chasm all around her. Her arms went limb as she slowly floated towards her mother. "I—" there were no words that could come to her mouth.

"Do not be afraid. Please, come here." The woman held out her arms wide, and crouched slightly, sending an invitation.

Amber wailed as she lunged for the woman and wept in her warm embrace. "Mommy! I've missed you so much!" Hot tears streamed down her face as she clung to the soft fabric of her mother's dress.

The woman kneeled and cradled Amber's head as she spoke softly to her. "I know. I'm so sorry."

Amber fought to calm her tears as she looked up into the Queen's eyes. She touched a tentative hand to her face, as shaky breaths slipped out from her lips. "It-it's really you," she stuttered through thick tears.

The woman smiled, tears forming in her eyes, and pulled Amber into an embrace once more. "Oh, Amber. My sweet, beautiful girl." Amber threw her arms around her mother's neck as she laughed, tears still streaming down her face. The two stayed in the warm embrace for another moment until the Queen relinquished her tight grip and looked lovingly into Amber's eyes.

The woman touched the princess's face and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Dry your tears, sweetheart. I need to ask you something."

"Anything! Oh, there's so much that I'd like to tell you!" Amber laughed.

The Queen chuckled warmly; Amber had forgotten how melodious her laugh was and small tears once again played at the corners of her eyes. "Is it how you enjoy studying the stars? Or perhaps you wish to tell me about all the beautiful gowns you have designed? Or, no, I know, it's that you have a wonderful new sister!" her mother said warmly as a broad smile danced onto her face.

Amber blinked up at her mother. "H-how did you know?"

The Queen giggled, touching a delicate hand to her mouth. "I have so enjoyed watching you grow up, Amber. I am proud of the beautiful young woman you are becoming." The Queen tucked a piece of hair behind Amber's ear and smiled at the girl.

Amber grinned, her eyes still shining with salty tears.

"There is still something I'd like to ask though," the woman said, gently pushing the young girl away from her so that she stood up.

"Of course!" Amber nodded excitedly, looking down at her kneeling mother.

"Your sister, Sofia. She is in grave danger, is she not?"

Amber's expression fell. "Yes. And I don't know how I'm supposed to help her."

The Queen took Amber by the shoulders and gazed up into her eyes. "The relic you received is the key. With it, you will surely be able to stop what is sure to happen."

"What do you mean?" Amber asked, stunned.

"It contains the most powerful magic of all. Far more powerful than even the Amulet your sister wears around her neck. I have watched you for years, and you are the only one who can utilize it to stop the evil that is coming," the Queen explained, taking Amber's hands in her own.

"Me? How?"

"You care so deeply for all those around you, even those who others might deem unworthy or particularly discourteous. You have a kind and just heart, not unlike me. Amber there is so much inside you that you don't realize, and Sofia has helped bring that out of you. You must save her. While you are the only one who can wield the relic's power, you would not have been able to do so if she did not come into your life."

"I-I don't understand."

"I know. But do not be afraid; all will be made clear in time. Remember only this: It is the love inside you that will put everything to rights." The Queen cupped Amber's cheek and lay a gentle kiss on her forehead. "You have always been a shining star, my dear Amber, and I will be with you always. Never forget that."

Amber smiled and nodded at her mother before throwing her arms around the woman's neck one more time. "I won't."

The two parted once more, and the Queen looked at Amber with her shining, hazel eyes. "Now, you must get back to your camp. We wouldn't want your father, or your dear mother finding you missing."

"Right." Amber said, glancing down at her feet. "Before I go, though. I want you to know something." The Princess looked into the Queen's amber eyes and smiled. The woman returned her own warm and loving smile, cupping her daughter's face with her hand. A tear fell from Amber's eye as her mouth finally formed the words she was looking for. "Sh-she didn't replace you. She never could. But she is a good stand in. She's tougher than you, I guess you could say she's a little rough around the edges, but she's kind, and loves James and I as much as she does Sofia… There are times I wish you didn't go away, but…"

"But if I didn't, Sofia would have never become your sister. I understand. Miranda is a fine mother, I know, I've been watching you, remember?" The woman smiled. "Treat her as you would me, and cherish the time you have together. If there's one thing I regret most, it's that I was taken away from you and James so early, but I am at peace knowing that she is taking good care of you, and that you and your brother both love her, as well as your father. Remember, Amber, love is a powerful thing. Keep love in your heart and you will be protected; it allows you to trust others, it will never let your hope dwindle. Let love guide you, and you will persevere through all hardships. You will not fail. Now go, tell your brother and father I love them, and remember these things. I love you, Amber." The woman then placed a kiss on her daughter's forehead.

Before Amber could even blink, she was back in her bed, her mother's voice still echoing in her ears. Had it really been a dream? It felt so real. She remembered feeling the cold night air on her cheeks as she walked into the forest with James. She remembered the feeling of wind rushing past her face as she fell into the deep chasm. She looked down at her person and she was wearing her cloak and boots. Furrowing her brow slightly, she contemplated the events before a contented smile gently spread across her lips. If it was a dream, she was glad it was the most real dream she had ever experienced. She could still smell the scent of warm chamomile perfume her mother always loved to wear as she removed her boots. After taking off her coat, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the small box—the relic—and set it next to her pillow as she climbed into her sleeping bag.

"I love you too, mommy," Amber whispered to herself.


	23. Chapter 23: Oblivion

**Here's the new chapter! I'm starting school again soon, but I'm going to try and keep as consistent with my updates until this story is finished! I'm determined. Thanks everyone who has been helping me along in this process, my beta readers, and my faithful reviews, also to those who offer their support by just reading. Thanks so much!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 23: Oblivion**

Sofia walked slowly beside her stepmother, holding her hand as Vlad led them away from the room of torture. He was told not to carry the woman back to the cell, but it was permissible for her to lean on him since it would make the return trip faster. Anya's shoulder slumped as each step jarred her frail body. There were no visible injuries, but her haggard expression revealed the pain she endured.

Salty tears stained Sofia's face. Her throat was dry and hoarse from screaming and begging the witch to stop. She wasn't sure how long they were in there; it had to have been hours though. Vasilia was relentless in her ministrations on Anya, while Sofia was forced to watch. Her head had been locked into place by some sort of spell, and she couldn't close her eyes, except to blink, as she witnessed the atrocity. She pleaded countless times for the witch to stop, crying out that she'd give her the amulet, but Vasilia would not listen to her cries and continued assaulting Anya, saying that it was Sofia's punishment for not giving her the amulet sooner.

When they got back to their original cell block, Vlad forcefully pushed Sofia into her cell, causing the small, exhausted girl to fall to her hands and knees. He was a little gentler (if you could call it that) with the woman who had just endured hours of torture; instead of pushing her, he walked her into the cell and released her. Because Anya was so weak, she collapsed on the floor in a heap and Anastassia came running to her side. Vlad swiftly exited the cell and closed the door with a loud clang, giving the family a stone cold stare through the bars. He then turned away from them and lumbered up the stairs and out of the dungeon.

Anastassia helped her mother roll over onto her back and gingerly touched the woman's cheek. Anya's breath was shallow as she tried to sit up. Her daughter shook her head. "No, you rest now."

Ian crawled over to her and cuddled up next to her. Anya smiled weakly at her children before she lay back on the floor and closed her eyes, her chest rising and falling slightly with her breath.

Sofia was paralyzed from shock; unable to tear her gaze away from the dirt, uncontrollable shivers wracking her body as she was unable to comprehend what was going on around her.

"Sofia," Anastassia called.

Sofia heard nothing more than warbled noise as if she were underwater. There was a faint ringing in her ears and she could only hear the sound of her own heartbeat and shallow breathing. Another warbled sound reverberated inside her waterlogged brain; distant clanging followed the muddy speech. Sofia leaned on her hand and turned herself around so that she sat on the cold dirt. She glanced to her right and saw a blurry vision of her little sister pounding on the prison bars. Sofia tried to focus, but her brain felt like it was doing loops. She blinked sleepily and slowly rocked her head back and forth before she collapsed onto the dirt, everything fading from her senses.

—

Sofia awoke a few hours later. Her mind still felt foggy but it was nothing compared to the incapacitating feeling she had experienced before. She sat up slowly and looked over at her family, cuddled together in a heap with a few blankets between them and the hard dirt as well as one that was draped over them. Sofia scooted backwards until her back was against the wall and then hugged her legs to her chest. What she would give to hold her own mother again; and father, and Amber and James. They must be coming for her soon. Exhaustion overcame her body and her eyelids began to droop. Almost immediately, horrific images from the seemingly endless hours in the other room flooded her brain again. Anya's body heaving and contorting as Vasilia stood there with a grimacing smile on her face, as if she was watching a cockroach writhe in pain. The ragged screams of her step-mother rang in her hears like clanging cymbals, too loudly for any other thoughts to break through. Sofia jolted her eyes open and rocked herself back and forth, trying to stay awake.

"Go away. Go away, go away, go away!" she whispered, trying to calm herself. She tried to think of anything else-Amber, James, Dad, Mom-but the images stayed the same in her mind, and whomever she thought about would end up taking Anya's place in the horrific memory. She put her hands on either side of her head. "No, no, no, no, no! Please stop; make it stop!" Sofia whimpered as tears fell from her eyes.

A distinguishable click sounded from the dungeon door. Delicate, echoing footfalls padded on the stone stairs as Vasilia stalked down into the cellar. She raised an eyebrow and smirked when she saw the young girl. Sofia didn't hear any of it as she continued steadily rocking and muttering to herself. Vasilia walked over to Sofia's cell and cocked her head at the child. The poor thing had no idea she was even there. A wicked smirk spread across her face. This is what she was hoping for.

"Sofia, you know this is your fault, right?" the woman said, examining her fingernails.

Sofia neither ceased her movement nor acknowledged if she had heard the sorceress. Vasilia raised an annoyed eyebrow at the girl. "Ugh, you're of no used to me if all you're going to do is sit there and babble to yourself," she declared with a wave of her hand. "Sofia, I know a certain spell that does wonders for night terrors. Just give me your Amulet, and you'll be free of them."

Sofia's rocking slowly came to a stop. Trembling, she looked up at the woman. "And my family. You'll set them free," she said, her voice still sore and scratchy.

A smirk slithered onto Vasilia's face. "Am I hearing that you'll give me the Amulet?"

Sofia unfolded herself and sat up straight. "Make the images stop and free my family, and then I'll give you the Amulet."

The wicked smile stayed plastered on Vasilia's face. A small purple cloud of magic stirred around her hand as she flicked her wrist, causing the door to the other cell to creak open slightly. "There. They're free. Now give me the Amulet." The witch extended her long, pale fingers.

Sofia stood shakily, grabbing the bars for support, "You won't go after them. You'll leave them alone and never bother them again."

"Of course, Sofia. I wouldn't dream of it," the witch smiled devilishly.

The princess glared at the woman for a moment, trying to deduce whether she could be trusted. "Promise."

"You have my word." The sorceress drew a cross in the center of her chest. "I will no longer pursue your family if you give me the amulet."

Sofia's upper lip turned up in a slight snarl as she eyed the woman cautiously.

"Come now, Sofia. I may be cruel, but unlike most mortals, I am true to my word," the witch stated, lowering her hand. "Your family will see no harm so long as you give me your amulet." Her tone was low and steady as she extended her hand once more.

Sofia narrowed her eyes and took careful steps towards the woman, studying her as she did. When she got to the front of her cell, she steadied herself and then glared at the woman for a moment.

Vasilia held her gaze firm as the princess approached, not wanting to give any the girl any inclination to go back on her offer.

Sofia sighed , still glaring at the witch. "Fine." She reached behind her neck and undid the clasp;, then laid the amulet in her hand and balled up the chain. With the necklace securely clenched in her fist, she stuck her hand through the bars. Vasilia slowly put her hand underneath the child's and raised a cautious eyebrow at her. Sofia's hand stayed put and she opened her hand just enough so that part of the chain dangled in midair. A small smile tugged at Vasilia's lips and the chain glanced against her finger before Sofia jerked it back.

The witch retracted her hand slightly irritated, but also somewhat amused by the princess's stubbornness. "I don't mean to insult your integrity, Sofia, but I'm sure you understand why I need to your amulet first."

"The terrors. Fix them," Sofia uttered, her voice barely more than a hoarse grumble.

Vasilia rolled her shoulders back and straightened her back. "It seems we've come to an impasse." She hummed as she began pacing back and forth in the cell. "You won't give me the Amulet if I don't cure you, and I won't cure you if you don't give me the Amulet." Vasilia stopped in front of Sofia's cell. "This spell I speak of requires me to lay my hand on your pretty little head. So, this is how this is going to work. You're going to extend the Amulet to me while I place one finger on your temple. The second I remove my hand, you are to drop the Amulet and we both get what we need."

Vasilia's magenta eyes blazed as the two shared an icy stare and Sofia contemplated her decision. Her family was already free, but if she didn't hold up her end of the bargain, Vasilia would probably torture Anya again. She breathed deeply and stepped toward the woman again, cautiously sticking her hand through the bars again.

Vasilia smiled. "I knew you would see reason," she said as she took a step toward Sofia and touched her right index against the young girl's temple. "Now, I know it's the last thing you want to do, but think about all those nasty little images that keep coming to your mind."

Sofia scowled at the woman, but squeezed her eyes shut and did as the sorceress instructed. As the memories flooded into her mind, Sofia felt something like a slight prick on the inside of her brain near Vasilia's finger. Sofia winced as the memories seemed like they were being sucked into a vortex of white light. After a few seconds, Vasilia withdrew her finger, causing Sofia to recoil. Her grasp on the Amulet slackened and the small, fuchsia gem dropped into the witch's expectant hand.

A yellow stream of light, like a glowing hair, floated out of Sofia's head as Vasilia held it between her index finger and thumb.

"There, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Vasilia inquired through pursed lips.

Sofia glanced around her, somewhat disorientated. "Wait. What did you do to me?"

Vasilia gazed at the floating strand in her hand. "It is my experience that removing the memory of a traumatic moment severely reduces the symptoms you were experiencing earlier. Those things are a pain, aren't they?" the woman leaned forward and eyed the girl.

Sofia said nothing and Vasilia smirked at her, turning away from the cell. "Well, thank you for your cooperation, Sofia. Once I am through with your Amulet, I will release you. Do svidaniya." She glanced back at Sofia as a cloud of purple-gray smoke began to pool around her feet. "Oh, I almost forgot," she said, holding up one of her elegant fingers. "Tell your family to exit through the castle. It will be much easier than taking that long, dark tunnel." The cloud of smoke then slowly engulfed her entire body. Sofia watched from her cell as the image of Vasilia's devilish smile slowly becoming enveloped by the smoke seared itself into her mind. That was it. She relinquished her precious Amulet to an insane, power hungry sorceress. She freed her family, but who's to say that something worse wouldn't happen to them in the assuredly ensuing chaos? She had to make sure they got to safety.

Sofia stood up as straight as she could and glanced through the bars of the prison. "Anastassia!" she called softly.

There was no response.

"Anastassia!" Sofia called a little louder.

This time, Sofia saw the pile of cloth stir. "Sofia, what is it?" the little girl asked while rubbing an eye with her small fist.

"Get up, and get out of here! There's no time to lose!"

"What are you talking about?" the younger girl asked, furrowing her eyebrows inquisitively.

"Just open the door to your cell!" Sofia whisper-yelled.

Anastassia rolled her eyes, but walked slowly over to the door. "I don't know why you think that the door is just gonna o—" Just as the little girl touched the door, it easily swung open. The little girl looked shocked and said nothing for a brief moment before she spoke. "Sofia! How did you do that!?"

Sofia sighed and looked up at her little sister and motioned to the now empty space on her chest.

"You gave your Amulet away!? What were you thinking?!" the child yelled, throwing her hands in the air.

"I did it so you guys could get free!" answered Sofia, somewhat harshly before taking a breath. "It was the only way to get you out of here."

Anastassia looked down and chewed on the inside of her lip thoughtfully before she glanced back to the older girl for a second. She then went to her mother and shook her awake. "Mama, come on. We can leave now."

Her younger brother poked his head out from the blanket first and joined Anastassia in trying to rouse their mother. Soon enough the woman slowly opened her eyes and gave a quiet grunt as she awoke.

"Mama. Come on, we can leave now," Anastassia repeated.

Anya lifted her head lazily and mumbled quietly. "What are you talking about?"

"Vasilia let us go," the small girl explained as she glanced up at Sofia.

"What? Really?" Anya slurred.

Anastassia held Sofia's gaze for a moment before nodding at her mother. "Yes. Come on, we have to go now." Anastassia grabbed her mother's hand and helped her sit up. She was obviously delirious, her movements labored and sluggish.

"It's all right, my little bell; mama can help herself up," she said slowly and laboriously. "Oh, Ian, my sweet boy, let's go home." She scooped up the child into her arms and hugged him close to her chest.

Anastassia gazed at her sister as she took hold of her mother's hand and started leading her out of the cell. Before the three could get the key to the secret door, Ian reached his hand out to Sofia and uttered a sad cry. Anya glanced at her son and adjusted him in her arms before seeing Sofia.

Anya looked at her with a blank stare for a moment before speaking. "You? When did you get here?"

"What?" Sofia breathed, baffled. "Anya, I—you don't remember?"

Anya looked at the girl with an apologetic frown. "Remember what?"

Sofia was speechless and looked to Anastassia, desperate for any sort of explanation, but the little girl cast her eyes to the floor and said nothing.

Anya observed the interaction of the two girls. "Stassia, do you know this girl?" she asked. Ian wriggled in Anya's arms. "Ian! Stop wriggling, I don't want to drop you!" she exclaimed, struggling to keep her grip on the infant. He got free from her grasp and slid down her front to the floor. He then crawled over to Sofia's cell and grabbed one of the bars with his tiny hand.

"Ian, you have to get out of here," Sofia told him, kneeling down to face the tiny boy.

He looked up at her with shining eyes and whimpered, his bottom lip poofing out. Anastassia came up behind the boy and laboriously picked him up from under his arms, pulling him back as he fought her. "Come on, Ian. We have to get out of here before Vasilia changes her mind!"

"Wait!" Sofia exclaimed, reaching her arm through the bars. Anastassia shot her a scornful look and Sofia recoiled, tears threatening to form in her eyes. Her little sister was right. They had to leave before Vasilia did whatever it was she was going to do with the Amulet, or who could tell what would happen? "Exit through the castle. Vasilia won't stop you."

"What about you?" Anya asked, picking up her son again. The little boy continued to reach for his elder sister as tears formed in his ice-blue eyes. "It seems Ian is very fond of you. Stassia, surely we cannot just leave her here."

"Mama, if we try and break her out, Vasilia will come after us," the small girl said, looking up at her mother.

Anya opened her mouth slightly like she was about to protest, but then let out a sigh and offered a minuscule smile to Sofia. "Do not worry. Vasilia may have an unquenchable lust for power, but despite what she may say, she does not like to get blood on her hands. I'm sure you will see your… family… again soon." Anya glanced at the ground, like she was taken aback by something, and touched a hand to her head.

Anastassia furrowed her eyebrows deeply and took hold of her mother's hand. "Come on, Mama. Let's go." The little girl pulled her mother along as the woman gazed at Sofia as confusion and apprehension danced across her face.

The trio ascended the stairs as Sofia gazed hopefully at Anya while the woman continued staring at her until they disappeared from view. Sofia heard the sound of the door open and close, leaving her alone in the dark, cold dungeon.


	24. Chapter 24: Strategies

**Greetings! I am pleased to present you with this new chapter! I don't own any characters from Sofia the First, but all the soldiers are mine, and I hope you like them as they will appear in future chapters as well. Thanks again to those who have been helping me finish this story before I go back to school! I hope to have the rest of it published by the end of this coming fall but I have been working like crazy to get the rest of the story written this summer and I think you're all going to like where things end up going ;)**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

Chapter 24: Strategies

"I see the other troops, Your Majesty!" called the soldier from the front of the V formation.

Miranda and Roland were a few spots back. "Good, take us down to the South end, Private Forrest!"

Private Forrest raised his hand in the signal for decent and the group followed. Amber and James were near the very back of the formation. The updraft created by so many horses in front of them made flying considerably easier than flying alone and the last leg of the trip was much less enxhausting.

The sun was covered by thick gray clouds as the group descended. Little snow patches dotted the grassy landscape, and a large castle sat atop a sheer cliff side. Not too far away was a small town where the soldiers from Section Two had gathered.

When the group landed, Miranda hopped off her horse and walked quickly over to a tall, dark-skinned man wearing the Royal Military uniform. Lieutenant Daniel dismounted his horse and followed the Queen. "Sergeant Benjamin, good to see you all made it safely." He smiled, grasping the other man's hand in a firm handshake.

"Likewise Lieutenant," responded Sgt. Benjamin, his voice a deep chocolaty color, similar to that of his skin. The man then turned to Miranda and stood at attention. "Your Majesty."

"At ease, Sergeant," She declared. "I'm sure you have sent out scouts around the castle?"

"Yes, ma'am. They should be back within the hour. We have also spoken to the townspeople here and they are happy to assist us by offering some provisions, as well as a place to rest."

"Excellent, Sergeant. Have you found any leads as to where my daughter is being kept?"

"We don't know for sure, but there are a few entrances my men have discovered that look like they lead to underground cellars. We speculate that one of them will lead us to the dungeon where she is being kept."

"Very good."

"Excuse me for intruding, but I believe I could be of some help in this area," offered a voice that came from behind Miranda.

The group turned its attention to the man who came up to them. It was Birk, and he was dressed in an Enchancian cadet uniform.

"Permission to speak, Mr. Balthazar," Miranda commanded, her tone stern and professional.

Birk put a fist to his mouth as he cleared his throat, his gaze faltering beneath the icy glare of the queen. "Um, right. So, there's a reason I told you to go to the South side. At the base of the wall, there is a door to an underground tunnel that runs to the dungeon of the castle. Last time I checked, that's where Anya, Anastassia, and Ian were being held."

"Then that's where the rescue team should go first," suggested the Sergeant.

"Agreed." Lieutenant Daniel nodded.

"Thank you for the intel, Mr. Balthazar. I believe we can take it from here." Miranda eyed him with a furtive glance.

"With all due respect, Your Majesty. Mr. Balthazar could have other vital information about the layout of the inside of the castle. Perhaps it would be beneficial if he accompanies us?" Sergeant Benjamin requested, motioning to the man in question.

Miranda shot Birk a glance before turning her attention to the Sergeant who towered above her. "Very well."

The quartet continued on, speaking of strategy and what to expect in the coming battle. The question as to whether they should wait to attack until night was answered quickly as a thick fog rolled in from the East.

—

Amber tended to Saffron, brushing her matted mane.

"What are you doing that for? It's just going to get ruined anyway," James criticized.

Amber stayed focused on her task, not bothering to look at her brother. "I'm going to braid Saffron's mane so it doesn't get in her eyes. Why do you think the palace horses' manes are always kept so short?" she asked curtly.

"Oh. Well, that's…practical of you." The prince raised his eyebrow and scratched the back of his neck, surprised by her response.

Amber smirked. "You know, James, beauty doesn't always have to be just for show. It can serve a functional purpose if you know how to use it to your advantage."

James just shrugged his shoulders. "If you say so." He went and grabbed Echo's water supply from the horse's back. It was a large, leather pouch that was lined with a sturdy, light wooden material inside so that it held the shape of a cylinder. He set it down on the ground and almost immediately, Echo pushed James out of the way to get some. "Whoa! Oh man, I knew you were probably thirsty, I didn't realize how much. Sorry, buddy," the boy apologized, patting his horse's neck. "Hey Amber, when do you think we'll get to help look for Sofia?"

Amber climbed onto a small, foldable stool she had brought with her, and gathered some of Saffron's mane in her hand. "If I had to guess, I'd say sometime soon. That's assuming Mom and Dad will actually let us help."

"What are you talking about? Of course they will! Dad said we were basically soldiers at this point."

"True. But he also said that we were to hide if battle broke out," Amber breathed as she separated two more chunks of hair and then began weaving them close to the horse's neck.

"That's _if_ battle breaks out. We've come all this way, and he's not going to make us stay here when we're so close to finding Sofia."

Amber glanced over her shoulder at her brother and pursed her lips slightly. "It's possible, but I still don't think Daddy is going to let us _endanger_ ourselves."

"How much more danger could we be in if we're already here? Wouldn't it be more dangerous to be separated from everyone?"

"That's what I said. But I still doubt Daddy will see it that way," Amber hummed, now halfway done with Saffron's mane.

James furrowed his brow and pursed his lips thoughtfully. "I think I'm gonna go talk to him. There's gotta be something he can have us do to help." The prince turned and began to walk away.

"Suit yourself, but be prepared to be disappointed!" Amber called out.

"I don't think that's gonna happen!" James yelled back as he widened his stride and jogged to go meet the king.

It didn't take long for James to spot his father; Roland was near a stable, conversing with none other than the Royal Sorcerer, who looked somewhat peeved to say the least.

"You want me to be your babysitter!?" Cedric exclaimed, waving his hands wildly as he expressed his disapproval. "Of all the soldiers here, I am the most useful in a fight against a bloodthirsty mage and you choose me to be your _babysitter_!?"

"In the battle that's sure to occur, my children's safety is of the utmost importance. If the witch is as strong as they say, then who better to protect the heirs of the throne than my most trusted Royal Wizard?" Roland smiled.

Luckily neither of the men saw James, so the blonde boy quickly ducked behind the corner and cautiously stuck his head out to see the conversation unfold.

Cedric opened his mouth and held a finger up, ready to retort, but paused momentarily before he let out a short sigh. "You know, just because you say it like that, doesn't make me anything more than a babysitter, right?" he moaned, slumping his shoulders even more.

"Thank you, Cedric, I knew I could count on you!" bellowed Roland, clapping the smaller man on the shoulder.

"It's not like I had a choice, was it?" Cedric murmured through a forced smile.

James tucked himself back behind the corner of the stable and sighed. Hardly a second later, he heard his dad approaching; not wanting to get caught, the boy darted away back to his sister just before Roland rounded the corner.

When James returned to his twin he was somewhat winded because of the short sprint. Amber turned to him with a fairly confused look on her face. "Back already? What happened?" she asked, turning away from braiding her horse's tail.

James took a few seconds to catch his breath before speaking. "Dad is making Cedric babysit us."

Amber perked up her head. "Cedric?"

"Yeah. I guess you were right, afterall," he sighed, folding his arms.

"Well, yes, of course I was. But this could work in our favor," Amber remarked as she went back to her horse's tail and quickly finished the braid.

James raised an eyebrow at her. "What do you mean?"

Amber glanced around quickly before drawing near to her brother. "With Cedric's magic, we might be able to sneak into the castle and help look for Sofia," she whispered.

"Ok, maybe, but how are we going to convince him to do that?" James questioned, keeping his voice low.

"Don't worry about that, I'll take care of it," the princess answered. A sly smile spread across her face as she took a small step away from her brother.

The prince furrowed skeptical eyebrows at his sister. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't worry. I was right about Daddy, and I'm right about this, just trust me," she assured him with a slight wave of her hand.

James held his apprehensive gaze on his sister as she fetched a granola bar from her knapsack that was tied to Saffron's saddle. "Alright, I guess."

Amber sat down on the little stool and munched on her granola bar as James followed suit. He grabbed a stool and a bar from his own bag, and then made his way over to her. "Do you want me to come with you to talk to Cedric?" he asked as he sat down next to his sister.

"No!" She yelped, her eyes widening slightly. James recoiled back from her in surprise. She put a dainty knuckle to her mouth and cleared her throat. "What I mean is, there's no need. I can take care of him myself."

"Whatever you say," mumbled her brother with a cheek full of granola bar.

After Amber finished her snack, she got up and patted the pocket on the side of her coat before turning to James. "I'll be back."

"Where are you going?" he asked, taking a bite out of his third granola bar.

"To go talk to Cedric. I'll be back soon." Amber glanced over her shoulder and waved at her brother as she walked away with her head held high and her typical air of confidence oozing out of her. James just watched her walk away as a smile tugged at his cheek full of food. If there was one thing he knew about his twin, it was that she would not stop once she set her mind to something.

It was rather easy to find the wizard. Amber had only walked a few meters away from her brother when she heard the distinct grumbling of a certain disgruntled royal sorcerer. She followed the sound and found the gangly man sulking behind a stable nearby.

"Cedric!" Amber called sweetly, coming around the corner of the stable.

"Princess Amber!" Cedric exclaimed, his arms flailing about awkwardly.

"I heard you were appointed to be my brother's and my keeper when Mother and Father go with the troops to look for Sofia."

The sorcerer rolled his eyes. "It appears that way. What is it that you want? I'm not going to cater to your every whim and fancy if that's why you're here."

"Not every whim and fancy, no. But I was hoping you might be willing to help us look for Sofia."

Cedric furrowed his brows at the girl. "While I'd love to participate in your grand scheme to free Sofia, I don't think your father would be very happy with me," responded the wizard, folding his arms.

"Well, if you're not going to help us free Sofia, perhaps you'd be interested in this?" She pulled out the small, ornate wooden box from her coat pocket and extended it to the man.

Cedric puzzled as he looked at the box. "What is this?"

"I was hoping you'd be able to tell me," Amber answered, setting the strange object in his hand.

Cedric inspected the small cube, running a finger over the gemstone inlay as he rotated it in his hand. "These symbols—they look similar to ones of creation, destruction, magic, and transformation, though they could stand for a number of other things. The golden trim around the edges connecting all the corners in an x on the top could possibly serve to bring all of them together, or keep them all separate, perhaps like some sort of containment vessel. Where on Earth did you get such an item?"

"I found it," Amber stated calmly.

Cedric looked at her with a deadpan expression. "You found it? You mean to tell me this mysterious, powerful, magical object was just lying around for you to pick up?"

Amber glanced up in thought briefly and pursed her lips. "Well, that is kind of what happened; though it wasn't exactly laying around. It was in my bag."

Cedric did not seem amused and raised a skeptical eyebrow at her. "You expect me to believe that this, a box possibly containing immense magical power, just showed up out of nowhere?"

Amber shrugged. "Well, you're the expert on magic here, Cedric. Not me."

"Indeed." Cedric sneered suspiciously, holding the box between his thumb and index finger. He then raised his upper lip at her apprehensively. "Tell me, how do you think this is going to help us find Sofia?"

Amber smiled and folded her hands in front of her. "I'm glad I've caught your interest. You said yourself that this thing may have some way of containing magic. Perhaps we could use it on Vasilia? Take away her magic, seal it away somehow in this box?"

"Why do I get the feeling you already knew what this was before you brought it to me?" Cedric questioned, motioning the box toward her.

"I actually looked up all the symbols on that box, and you are right; they do resemble those for magic, transformation, creation, and destruction. I brought a few of your books with me and did some research of my own before coming to you," she explained, clasping her hands together excitedly. "You said to come to you if I found anything enlightening. Now, are you going to help me and my brother rescue Sofia or not?" Amber asked bluntly, raising a challenging eyebrow.

Cedric glanced at the box and then back at the girl. "Very well. Let me have a look at this and we can discuss a plan. I think I may have just the thing to sneak us into the castle without being detected."


	25. Chapter 25: Insight

**Hello! Here's the next chapter and I hope you all enjoy! Things are getting a little cray, so just be prepared. Also, the chapters are getting a little longer, but I hope you guys are all ok with that haha. I try to keep them under a certain length so they're easier to read in one sitting. Thank you to my lovely betas, as always :).**

 **And to Starkvb: Thank you! Yes, we will see Roland and Miranda again soon. I really like writing for them so I'm glad you enjoy them as well :).**

 **See you all next week!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 25: Insight**

An hour had passed by and the fog was getting thicker by the minute, rendering the noontime sun invisible. Miranda had devised a plan with Birk, Lt. Daniel, and Sgt. Benjamin to create a big enough distraction while a small squad infiltrated the castle, accompanied by Miranda, Roland, and Birk. Sgt. Benjamin sent his scouts to relay the information to the other Sections and decide on an exact time to strike. With all the fog, it would be impossible to see any kind of sign in the sky, so they synced their watches in order to depart accordingly.

"Get ready, Lieutenant. It's almost time," Miranda commanded, mounting her winged horse.

"Yes ma'am," Lt. Daniel replied. The tall man then turned around and addressed his troops. "Attention! Departure is in five minutes; report to your positions!"

Immediately, the soldiers mounted their horses and assembled into takeoff formation, while Miranda joined a group of four men standing with her husband and Birk. Roland looked at his wife and gave a reassuring nod. She nodded back at him and offered a small smile before looking up at the tall cliff. "We're coming, Sofia."

Lt. Daniel and Sgt. Benjamin sat atop their horses in front of their troops. The Sergeant took out his pocket watch and glanced at the time before nodding to the Lieutenant.

"Time to move out!" shouted Lt. Daniel. The men wasted no time in taking off. The larger team launched off the ground first in order to set up the distraction.

Amber was with her brother and Cedric as they watched the soldiers take off. "Come now, Your Young Majesties," said Cedric, waving his hand in the direction of the dense forest. The twins followed the man until they were well outside the village. Cedric stuck his hand out and turned around to face them. "All right. Put your hands on top of mine," he commanded.

The twins obeyed immediately. In Amber's negotiation with the wizard, the pair had agreed that they would follow his instructions quickly and quietly until they were out of the castle with Sofia in hand—assuming everything went according to plan. It was safe to say that the group was cautiously optimistic. Cedric did not know for sure the extent of Vasilia's power, but if she was busy with the teams of men on pegasi, there was a chance they could slip past any security alert spell or guards without being detected.

With the twins' hands on top of his own, Cedric used his free hand to lift his wand. "Teletransporto," he spoke firmly.

Amber felt her stomach lurch as her body seemed to lag behind her; it felt like she was being stretched from her head to her toes as everything swirled around her, sucking the world away from her vision. Her chest tightened as she struggled to breathe, like she was being twisted through the eye of a needle. Almost as suddenly as the nauseating feeling started, it ceased. Suddenly the group was just outside the castle wall. Amber stumbled as she fought to keep the contents of her stomach inside.

James stumbled slightly too, but had a look of pure exhilaration on his face. "That was brilliant!" exclaimed the boy, panting as if he'd just won a foot race.

Amber put her hands on her knees and glared up at her brother. "How are we—even related?" she wheezed.

"Take deep breaths, Princess. It will help with the nausea." Cedric glanced down at the girl before waving his wand over his head. "Aveco Infanicula."

Cedric held his hands in front of him and three folded pieces of ornate fabric dropped into his arms. "Here, take one of these." The wizard extended his arms to the siblings as they eyed the glittering fabric.

James took the one on top and it easily fell open, revealing a beautiful, hooded robe. The shimmering fabric was a deep crimson with flecks of gold interwoven into the fabric. "What are these, Cedric?" the prince asked, holding up the cloak to his shoulders.

"It's what I call a stealth cloak, Prince James," Cedric explained.

Amber reached for the second cloak and let the fabric cascade down to her feet, like a rippling waterfall. It was a pale aqua color with delicate turquoise swirls adorning the hems and cuffs of the garment. Amber marveled at the simple yet elegant design and caressed the feather-weight fabric between her fingers. "They're beautiful!" the princess breathed.

"Thank you, Princess Amber. I fashioned them myself," Cedric smiled broadly as he pulled on the last cloak, which was rich, royal purple in color and embroidered with, what appeared to be, golden hydrangea flowers.

"Y-you designed these gorgeous robes?!" Amber stuttered in amazement.

The sorcerer blushed slightly, touched by the persnickety princess's genuine appreciation for his work. "Yes."

Amber giggled with glee as she slipped into the nearly weightless garment. "I never imagined you had such an eye for design, Cedric! Oh, you _must_ show me how you made such intricate designs in such fine fabric! I always find it difficult to work with such small thread, but it looks like you have no trouble at all!"

Cedric couldn't help but swell with pride as the girl twirled around, relishing in the cloak's beauty. "Perhaps I will show you one day, Princess. Magical weaving does take a certain amount of skill with needle and thread; I imagine, with some practice, you would be quite good at it yourself."

Amber stopped spinning and gazed up at him, her eyes shining with excitement. "Oh, you will?"

The wizard chuckled and gave a nod. "Why not?"

She squealed in delight, clenching her dainty fists near her chest. "Oh, thank you, Cedric!"

A crooked smile tugged at James's lip as he shook his head affectionately. "I guess I can't blame her for being excited. These robes do look pretty neat!"

Cedric nodded in gratitude at the boy. "I'm glad you think so, Prince James. But the real magic happens when you put on the hood," the sorcerer smirked. He tossed the hood over his head and instantly disappeared into thin air.

"Whoa!" James exclaimed.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Put on your hoods!" Cedric urged, his smile widening as he saw the look of pure amazement on both of the twins' faces.

Amber and James exchanged excited glances before covering their heads with the large hoods. Instantly, it looked as if they were looking through a thin, white veil.

"Wait, but how are we supposed to know where to go if we're all invisible?" asked Amber.

"Worry not, I took that predicament into account. In a few seconds we'll be able to see each other." Cedric smiled, though neither of the twins could see it.

The wizard was, indeed, correct. After a few seconds, the three slowly started to appear; only from underneath the clandestine fabric, they looked more like transparent visions of themselves.

"So we are invisible to others, but we can see each other?" James inquired.

"Well, yes, of course. How else would you be able to pull off stealth missions together?" Cedric asked, waving a hand. "Now keep it down. We must find Sofia."

The group snuck through the castle gates and through the outer garden. They didn't see any guards, but they didn't want to chance opening any doors and attracting attention to themselves. Cedric led the twins by the side of the castle where they found an open window that was just barely wide enough for Cedric to fit through. It was fairly easy for Amber and James to jump up on the windowsill and hop inside the castle. Cedric glanced from side to side before reaching a foot up to step up on the window, then climbed through the narrow window and tried not to land too heavily on the shiny, marble floors.

"Okay, how are we supposed to find Sofia now?" James whispered.

Cedric held a finger up to his lips and pulled out his wand as the end lit up in a faint turquoise and pulsated slowly. The man stuck his wand out in front of him and rotated around until the wand's glow brightened slightly. Cedric extinguished the light from his wand and then pointed to his shoes.

Amber cocked her head to one side and raised a questioning eyebrow. Cedric then lifted his foot and removed his shoe, revealing a black sock. Amber and James nodded and followed suit, taking off their own shoes so that their thick socks hardly made a sound on the tile floor. The trio plodded along carefully, checking around every corner, with Cedric occasionally taking out his wand and pointing them in the right direction.

After a few minutes, they peered around the corner and saw a woman of strange, spectral beauty walking in their direction. She was about 15 meters away from them in the long corrigor, so Cedric felt no need to retreat just yet. Her dark purple dress seemed to billow as her feet padded almost silently on the floor. Her dark, chestnut brown hair was done up in a crowning braid, which drew attention to her frighteningly elegant features. The woman stepped lithely into a room with a large, white door. Cedric lit his wand, pointing it in the direction the woman came from and the wand's glow flashed brightly, causing the trio to squint. Cedric extinguished his wand and nodded his head toward the woman.

"Cedric, what exactly does that spell you just used do?" Amber asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The wizard said nothing, and instead illuminated his wand so that when he waved it, it left behind a string of soft, blue light. Waving his wand in the air, bright blue letters appeared just long enough for Amber and James to make out the word, "magicometer." Cedric then slapped a finger to his lips rather emphatically and motioned for the twins to follow. They walked along closely to the wall, careful to stay as quiet as possible. When they got near to the door of the room, it was open slightly and a silvery, feminine voice was coming from inside. Cedric motioned for the twins to go on the opposite side of the door so that all three of them could peek through the opening between the doors and see what was going on.

F rom what they could see, the room was lined with dense, shimmering gold curtains that had tiny red ribbons streaking through the fabric like the lines on a piece of polished wood. The woman stood in front of a golden bowl with her back facing them. The bowl was on top of a stand, and the woman was holding on to the sides with both of her slender hands. She took in a big breath and brought her head close to the bowl. If Cedric wasn't mistaken, she had submerged her head in whatever was inside it.

Cedric furrowed his brow, wondering what the bowl could be containing. There was a number of things that he could think of off the top of his head that it could be, but he'd have to see what happened to the woman. She soon lifted up her head and inhaled deeply then breathed out a dramatic moan of a sigh. "Much better."

A gust of wind poured out from the small opening and a deep, rumbling voice that shook each one of them to their core resonated from inside the room. "Privet, milady. The former hostages are making their way out of the castle. I told them the way to the Northern Gate."

"Thank you, dear Zeleny," she murmured, looking down at the bowl. None of the three spies were able to see who, or what, had spoken to the woman, but Amber recognized the voice from the night Sofia was taken.

The woman then glanced up at her familiar, still facing away from them. "Zeleny, have I ever told you what I keep in this basin?" she asked, running her lithe finger along the edge.

"No, I do not believe you have," Came the cikavac's deep reply.

The witch skulked around the saucer, keeping her gaze on whatever was inside until she faced the entryway of the door. "These are my memories. My deeds that have led me on this path to immortality. What humans call atrocities, I call necessities." Vasilia dipped her hand into the bowl and lifted it. Ethereal strands of glowing gold streamed off of her hand and back into the basin. Amber thought she heard a faint scream from far away, as the image of a woman cowering in fear flashed in her mind.

"These images serve a much better purpose outside of my mind. In addition to keeping my weak human nature at bay, they… how would you say? Recharge me. Remind me of all that I have done to achieve what I have been seeking all these years without hindering my capabilities." Vasilia rubbed her fingers together as she gazed down at the large bowl. "Soon, Zeleny, the things that make me weak will not matter. When I attain my immortality and exact my revenge, everything that keeps me tethered to this life will be inconsequential." Amber thought she saw the faintest shadow of sorrow flash across the sorceress's face, but it was quickly negated by a wicked look in her eye as she caressed the sides of the bowl again. "Yes, with my divinity so close at hand, everything that makes me weak will hold no significance and I will finally take my proper place." A crooked, sharp-toothed smile crept onto Vasilia's face, turning her ethereal, ghostly beauty into that of a crazed demon. "And now that I have the what I need, everything is going according to plan." A deep haunting chuckle emanated from her throat as the three watched and listened in horror.

Vasilia calmed her laughter and smirked devilishly. "That little Princess was not quite the worthy opponent I thought her to be. But I will keep her in the dungeon as insurance until my ascension is complete. The time is nearing when I will exact my revenge and I will not let some pesky little child stand in my way." The witch stepped around the bowl and started walking slowly to the doorway where the three spies were hidden.

Cedric motioned to Amber and James to continue down the hallway. James immediately followed the wizard, but Amber had trouble tearing her eyes away from the expression on the witch's face. There was something she recognized in it, even if it was for the briefest moment.

The woman stopped a good distance away from the door and turned her attention to her avian familiar. "Zeleny, do me a favor and tell Vlad to prepare my battle robe? I want to look my best for when our fated guest arrives."

"Amber!" James's impatient whisper brought her out of her trance.

Amber tore herself away from the door as the sorceress continued walking towards her, and hurried to catch up with the other two. The three of them ran down the long hall and turned a corner, trying not to breathe too loudly.

"Cedric, the hostages she mentioned. If we can find them maybe they'll know how to get to Sofia?" Amber said as she quickly caught her breath.

Cedric just gave a nod as his breathing returned to a normal rate.

"Only one problem: how are we going to find them?" inquired James. He was considerably less winded than the other two, so he had little trouble speaking.

"That bird said something about the Northern gate. We head in that direction, and I'm sure we'll find them," Amber replied. Cedric just nodded and pointed to the princess in agreement, not seeing a need to speak.

"How do you know it was a bird?" James asked, raising an eyebrow.

Amber rolled her eyes. "I recognized its voice; it was the one who took Sofia. But do you really think this is the time to argue about that?"

James furrowed his brow, slightly annoyed by his sister's tone. "Okay, fine. Which way do we go then?" he spat.

"Cedric?" Amber turned her attention to the sorcerer.

Cedric pulled out his wand and laid it on his palm. The tip lit up a dark gold and rotated a few times before steadying in one direction. The wizard motioned in the direction the wand was pointing and then put it away in his robe.

The trio walked down the mass of halls, Cedric periodically taking out his wand to check their location. After a few minutes of what seemed like guess work, they rounded a corner and saw a woman with light brown hair sticking out of a dirty, light blue bandana wearing tattered clothes. She was carrying an infant and there was another child holding her hand. Amber didn't even have to think about it; she broke rank and quickly started walking toward them.

"Amber! What are you doing?" James scolded, sticking his arm out to stop her.

"That must be Sofia's family! They have got to know where she is!" Amber retorted before turning away from her brother again and pushing past him easily, jogging up to the other group. Cedric smacked his hand against his forehead and scraped his hand down his face.

"Excuse me!" the princess called.

The woman and young girl perked their heads up and glanced around. "Who's there?" asked the woman, searching for the source of the voice.

"I'm sorry, I'm right here." Amber pulled the hood from her head so that she suddenly became visible to the group in front of her.

Cedric peered through his fingers, letting out an aggravated sigh and then looked down his long nose at James as if to ask, 'Are you going to charge out there carelessly as well?' James looked from Cedric to his sister, somewhat conflicted. He clenched his fists, taking a hesitant step towards his sister, but then regarded Cedric and stayed back with the man.

The woman jumped back in surprise and let out a small gasp, startled by the sudden appearance of the stranger, while the younger girl automatically hid behind the woman's leg. "Who are you?" asked the woman, clutching the infant closer to her chest.

"Don't worry, I'm a friend. You're the family of Birk Balthazar, correct?" Amber questioned, lifting her hand in an attempt to ease the woman's concern.

"How do you know my husband?" the woman asked slowly, cocking her head to one side and gazing at Amber with a question behind her eyes. "Have we met before?"

Amber furrowed her brow thoughtfully and shook her head. "No, we haven't."

"Oh. I'm sorry, it's just, I feel like I've had this conversation before." The woman breathed a sigh and shook her head. "I'm sorry. You were about to say how you know my husband."

"Sofia is my sister and I'm looking for her. She's just a little shorter than I am, has brown hair, and was wearing a purple coat and a light blue nightgown. Have you seen her?" Amber asked hopefully.

The small child came out from behind her mother's leg piped up. "She's in the dungeon. She gave up her Amulet so we could go free," the younger girl said quietly, looking down at the floor with guilt written on her face.

"She… Of course she did." Amber sighed and shook her head slowly with a sad smile. "Well, at least you've seen her. How do I get there?"

The little girl pointed in the direction from where they came. The woman looked down at her daughter and then adjusted the infant on her hip. "It's down that way a ways. Turn down the hallway that's across from the large painting of Tsar Nicolai. At the end of the hall there is a red door, and inside that room there is a closet where you will find a wooden door that leads down to the dungeon. That is there you will find your sister."

Amber glanced behind her in the way the woman directed her before turning back to her. "Thank you. My name is Amber," she said, extending her hand to the woman.

"Anya. And this is Anastassia and Ian," the woman replied, taking Amber's hand and offering a smile.

"Thank you, again. When you get out of the castle, you should go to the village to the North. I'm sure one of our medics will be there to help you."

"Your medics?" Anya asked raising her eyebrows in surprise.

Amber nodded and opened her mouth to answer but suddenly found herself unable to speak; her mouth hung open awkwardly as she tried to muster words.

"Amber, are you alright?" Anya took a step closer to her as concern washed over her face.

Amber tried again in vain to speak, but it felt like her tongue was stuck in her throat and she couldn't get words to form in her mouth. She felt someone come up behind her and touch her shoulder.

"Amber, come on!" James whispered in her ear, grabbing her wrist and pulling her away from the family. She reluctantly tore her gaze away from the woman and two children and waved at them, donning her hood once more, and then followed her brother and Cedric down the hall.

—

In the steadily thickening fog, the soldiers could hardly see the massive castle on the ground, and it was near impossible to see the other Sections flying up from their positions. However, each Section had agreed to the plan and Lt. Daniel had no doubts that his soldiers would be there when he needed them. He raised his right fist high above his head, then hovered his left just above his head; he then brought his open right palm halfway down to his left and then made a circular motion with his right index finger.

The troop descended on the castle, but continued to circle around its perimeter a few meters above its high walls. It was only a second later when they saw other grey blobs mimicking their actions, as the whole platoon encircled the castle.

Vasilia stood in her chamber as she was just finishing donning her battle attire. A sleek, black top with a circular neckline clung tightly to her body and rested just above her clavicle. The straps were just large enough to cover the tops of her slender shoulders, with a small tip that jutted out slightly giving the top a sharper look. Vlad picked up a metal fabric that looked similar to chain mail but was virtually weightless, and held it up for Vasilia to put on. The fabric clung to her arms easily as she slipped her long, slender arms into the garment. The metal rested over her shoulders and formed to her body easily, stopping halfway down her back. Over matte, dark grey, leather-like pants she hitched a billowing, silver half-skirt: the fabric similar to that of her arm covering. Finally, Vlad brought her a cape, the fabric thick and black, pulsating with silver streaks woven together, and fastened it to the straps of her top. He then took a few steps away from her, relaxing his massive arms, and folded his hands in front of him.

The sorceress glanced in the mirror, turning her head slowly from side to side as she examined her hair. She pursed her lips as she saw a single stray hair sticking out of her crowning braid. Waving a hand over it, she allowed a small bit of magic power to seep out of her palm and calm the stubborn hair. She allowed herself a pleased smile and then hummed to herself as she inspected her makeup once more. It was a little dark, too much black; perhaps a lighter look was called for on the day of her ascension. She took both of her hands and swept her wrists up from her chin to her forehead. A touch of a mid-tone grey with a hint of umber on the outer corners and creases of her eyes, some shimmering pale gold on her lids, and a soft white just beneath her eyebrows and on the inner corners of her eyes. For her lips, a medium-dark, neutral brown would do: not too dark that it looked overdone, but not too bright so that it complemented her bright, golden green eyes. Vasilia smirked, pleased with her updated appearance. She turned her head from side to side once more before slowly turning her attention to her window. She had felt a prick, as if a tiny bolt of electricity sent itself zooming through her brain. Leisurely picking up a bottle of perfume, she spritzed herself three times before sauntering over to her window.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," she clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "Oh, well, this fog simply won't do. I will not have such dreadful weather on the day I become a goddess." She raised her right hand and touched her middle finger to her thumb. "While I'm at it, I should probably do something about the little infestation that just arrived," she mused, pursing her lips in unimpressed annoyance. With a snap of her fingers, a huge ring of golden magic rippled out from her and engulfed the entire castle, and all its surrounding space.


	26. Chapter 26: Berserk

**Hello again! I hope you've all been having a great week! Here's the next chapter. I had a blast writing this one, and thank you to my beta-readers once again. I literally can't thank you enough lol. Thanks to all of you who are sticking with me in this story and I would love to hear what you like about it in a review if you feel so lead. If not, I hope you enjoy reading the chapter! Oh, and the last line of dialogue in this chapter is an acronym for something just so you know haha.**

 **See you next weekend! Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 26: Berserk**

*Ulecus- pronounced oo-leh-coos

The platoon had just begun circling the massive castle when they saw a large wave of golden light emanate from within the castle.

"Lieutenant, what is—" Private Forrest didn't even have time to finish his sentence as every soldier and pegasus was propelled violently away from the castle. Private Forrest struggled to right himself as he and his horse hurtled through the air. His stomach felt like it was in his throat as flashes of the grassy landscape and clear blue sky sped across his vision. Wait, was that right? When did the fog clear? His horse neighed and flapped his wings wildly as he tried to right himself. Forrest breathed deeply, remembering his training, and pulled hard up on the reins. The large, brown pegasus splayed out his wings just in time and the pair came to a long, skidding halt just before they were about to hit a towering pine tree.

"Whew! That was a close one, Gump!" Forrest hooted as he wiped his brow and then patted his horse's dark brown and white speckled neck. The horse neighed and whinnied in response as he hovered inches away from the tree. "Well, don't blame me! I'm not the one who sent a giant magic blast from the castle!"

Gump chortled and hoofed the air, obviously agitated. The rider patted his horse's neck again and then sat up on his saddle. "Well, seein' as we're all right, we should probably see if everyone else made it okay like we did," remarked Forrest, giving his horse a light kick with his heels. After Gump had ascended a few meters into the now-clandestine sky, his rider saw a few of his other comrades, including the Lieutenant, struggling to get out of the trees as well. They hadn't been blown out of formation, but they had been blown back about half a kilometer from the castle.

"Hey, Buford! You okay?" Private Forrest shouted to the soldier who was trying to wrestle his way out of a tree a ways away from him. The man looked nearly identical to Sergeant Benjamin, and if not for the contrast in the color of their horses, none of the soldiers would be able to tell them apart from a distance.

Once the large, dark-skinned man got himself and his horse out of the tree, he turned his attention to man who had just shouted. "Yeah, Forrest!" Buford gave the grey horse a slight kick in the sides and flew closer to the other private. "I'm all right, but Blue is a bit shaken up."

"Rightfully so, I reckon. Any idea what that blast was?" asked Forrest.

Buford shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. "You're asking the wrong man."

"More than likely, she knew we were coming," came the voice of Lieutenant Daniel as he flew up to the two Privates.

"What do you mean?" asked Forrest as the three slowly flew to an area where a small group of nearby troops was beginning to gather.

"Either we walked into a trap the witch had previously set, or that witch knew we were coming and sent out that magic blast. Either way we expected something like this to happen. Everyone knows to put on their nullification powder and continue with the plan," Lt. Daniel reasoned, looking straight ahead at the castle.

"Aye, sir," Private Buford nodded.

"Sergeant Benjamin, we should move quickly," commanded the Lieutenant, glancing over to the twin of the Private.

Sgt. Benjamin nodded in agreement from atop his salmon-peach colored pegasus. "Everyone was briefed, so they should be re-grouping as we speak."

Lt. Daniel, Sgt. Benjamin, Privates Buford and Forrest, and the other soldiers who had been scattered around the castle all began to fly towards the large building again as each soldier pulled out a small vial with a white, shimmering powder and poured it out on himself and his horse.

The platoon returned to the castle, staying in their original formation, and began circling the castle just outside the walls. Lt. Daniel took a large, conical contraption from his steed's side; it had a handle on the bottom and a smaller square box that was connected with tightly-coiled wires. He had received it from Gwen a while back, and she mentioned it was called an ampliphone. The Lieutenant held up the smaller box to his mouth and pressed a round button on the side as he positioned the large cone in the air. "Your Royal Highness and Grand Sorceress Vasilia of Ledstrana: we, by order of King Roland II and Queen Miranda of Enchancia, request that you free Princess Sofia. If you do so, we will leave you in peace."

Vasilia raised her eyebrow at the harsh sound coming from outside. "Well, that sure was a speedy recovery," she scoffed derisively. "But they certainly know how to speak to a Royal Sorceress, I'll give them that." She turned her attention to the large man standing by her bedside. "Thank you for helping me dress, Vlad. You're dismissed."

The man merely blinked at her before unfolding his hands and walking out of her room in only two heavy steps.

Vasilia's upper lip twitched into a slight snarl as she let out a sigh through her pointed nose and a cloud of purple smoke engulfed her body. A second later, she appeared on the highest and southernmost spire of the castle. It was an old guard lookout and provided an excellent view of the entirety of her castle grounds, as well as the surrounding landscape. She lowered her hands and held them open in front of her with her fingers slightly bent, relaxed but not limp. Lavender-grey smoke billowed around the tower before coalescing into a giant cloud that displayed her visage in the sky above the tall tower.

The soldiers watched in frightened awe as the giant face in the sky began to speak, its booming voice resonating in their chests. "Soldiers of Enchancia. While I appreciate your kind diplomacy, I cannot acquiesce your request. I suggest, for your own well-being, that you return to your kingdom. Your Princess will return safely, I assure you, as long as you stay out of my affairs."

Lt. Daniel pressed a button on the ampliphone again. "Surrender the Princess, or we will use force."

"Ha!" Vasilia couldn't contain her laugh. "You think your tiny group of, oh, how many was it? Sixty-five men, if I remember correctly, think you can take me on?"

"How do you know that's not all of us?" the Lieutenant retorted, furrowing his eyebrows in discomfort at her knowledge of the exact number they had sent to the castle.

Vasilia laughed again. "It matters not if you have more troops. I could obliterate a thousand men before you could even blink! Really sir, I do not think you are in a place to make demands or threats, so you best retreat while you still can."

Lt. Daniel lowered the ampliphone, gripping the handle tighter as he considered her words.

"Lieutenant?" questioned Sgt. Benjamin, regarding the man with concern.

Lt. Daniel stayed quiet, thinning his lips. The damned witch was right. They had just seen a taste of how powerful she was. He wasn't a sorcerer or anything, but he had studied a small bit of magic, mainly healing magic, and some defensive to counteract offensive spells before he decided to go full soldier. It was clear that the two spells she had just demonstrated were very powerful; even if they did decide to take her on, they probably wouldn't even serve as a warm up for the sorceress. Queen Miranda did say that they were only supposed to serve as a distraction and then retreat. With that being the case, perhaps he had the sorceress in the exact place where he wanted her.

"Sergeant. That thing Cedric gave us. Private Taylor has it, doesn't he?" the Lieutenant asked.

"I believe so, sir," Sgt. Benjamin confirmed.

"Good. Tell him to have it ready. We know where Vasilia is, and I'm sure you are thinking the same thing I am."

"Aye, Sir." The Sergeant gave an affirmative nod and departed, seeking out Private Taylor.

Lt. Daniel raised the small box to his mouth again and chose his words carefully. "We see that we clearly have the disadvantage here, which is why we do not wish to engage you in battle. Simply release the Princess and we will be on our way."

The massive head furrowed its eyebrows slightly in mild annoyance. "I've already told you, I will release the Princess in due time; you do not get to negotiate the terms of her release."

"Forgive me if I sound brazen, but Ledstrana and Enchancia have no qualms, nor any real ties of which to speak. So tell me, what is it you want with the princess?" Lt. Daniel challenged, keeping his voice steady over the loud, electronic machine.

A menacing smile spread over the clouded visage in the sky. "It is a puzzler, isn't it? Why on earth would the most powerful Sorceress in this world have need of a child? I swear, the lack of magical knowledge you people have is alarming. Even the worst student at that poor excuse for the Enchancian magic school, Hexley Hall, would have an inkling of the value of what Princess Sofia wears around her neck. It's a surprise no other mage has yet to obtain it."

Around the West side of the castle, Sgt. Benjamin whispered into Private Taylor's ear. The boy nodded and with one flap of his pegasus's powerful wings, he sped off.

Lt. Daniel allowed a little smirk to tug at the corner of his lips. It's a good thing powerful mages liked to talk about themselves and their plans. If Vasilia was anything like other wizards, things were going according to plan, and if he could keep this up for a few minutes, then it would buy Taylor some time. "You speak of the Amulet of Avalor, yes? Enlighten us. What could the most powerful sorceress in the world need with an enchanted trinket?"

Private Taylor rounded the North corner of the castle while the giant head still hovered in the sky. It was an eerie sight as he flew around the castle; no matter which way he looked at the ghostly head, it was always facing him. It would be difficult to find an opening, but if he knew anything about security magic, he knew that every spell had a blind spot, no matter how small.

Vasilia's lip twitched in displeasure. "Of course a mudblood like yourself couldn't even begin to understand the power that's held inside the Amulet, and your arrogance is even greater if you think I will divulge its secrets to the likes of you and your puny brigade."

Private Taylor flew high in the sky and looked at the giant head from above. As he hoped, there was no face on top and since that was the case, it was safe to assume the same held true for the bottom. The young man dove straight down, hurtling silently towards the top of the clouded figure. It was times like these that he realized just how vital his steed, Volo, was to the military. He considered it an honor to ride such a rare and priceless creature. As an Ulecus Pegasus, his wings had a fluffy, velvety texture and were much thicker at the rotating joint than most other breeds; the soft feathers also grew along his chest and forelegs. Instead of a mane, feathers grew out of the top of his head and ears, making little horn-like feather structures on his head; and his tail—instead of hair—contained the same kind of velvety feathers as his wings that fanned out like a great horned owl's tail. All of these characteristics made him much faster and also allowed him the ability of silent flight.

Lt. Daniel scowled. Perhaps he had spoken too soon; it seemed Vasilia was smarter than most power-obsessed mages and wouldn't spend hours explaining her plans. He had to buy more time. If this kept up, she'd kill him and all his men faster than he could utter a single word. "Excuse me, Your Majesty, I meant no disrespect. The only reason we are here is to retrieve Princess Sofia, nothing else. If you release her to us, we will be on our way."

Taylor dove through the clouded head and landed on the flat roof of the tower with hardly a sound. The young man slowly climbed down from the large mammalian bird and motioned for him to come near the edge. Volo obeyed, stepping lightly with his large hooves. The young man breathed an inward sigh of relief, remembering he had requested for the pegasus's shoes to be specially made to have padding on the outside, making it so that his partner was specially suited for stealth operations such as this one. Taylor grabbed a rope from his pack and put the end up to Volo's mouth. The horse took the rope in his teeth while his rider tied the other end around his waist and motioned for his steed to back up. Volo obeyed again, stepping quietly backwards as the slack in the rope tightened and Taylor lowered himself so that his torso dangled over the edge of the roof. With a wave of his hand, Volo allowed some slack in the rope and the rider let his body slip just enough over the edge to where he could see the sorceress in the middle of the watchtower. To his pleasant surprise, Vasilia was facing away from him and seemed to have no inkling of their presence. Taylor tapped the rope twice, and Volo pulled him up from the ledge. Wrapping the rope up, the boy nodded at his pegasus, who bobbed his head in understanding as his rider mounted him once again.

"You are starting to sound like a broken record, General, assuming that is your rank," she spat. "I despise repeating myself, but I will say it one more time to get it through your thick skull. You will see your Princess again, provided you leave my kingdom. If you do not, I will not hesitate to end you and all of your men's miserable little lives! Have I made myself clear?"

Behind the sorceress, a silent pegasus hovered as Private Taylor touched a bamboo shoot to his mouth and aimed it at the woman who was clearly getting agitated. With a strong gust of breath from his lungs, Taylor launched a tiny dart right at the witch's neck. The tiny feathers dissipated, making the needle completely undetectable as it flew.

"I'm flattered, Your Majesty, but I am the Lieutenant."

Vasilia smacked a hand to her neck and winced in pain. "What in the Seven Realms?" she mumbled. "Must have been one of those damned hornets."

Taylor clenched his fist in victory, then gave a kicked to Volo's side, and pulled up on the reins. The avian horse immediately followed directions and took off straight up through the clouded visage once again.

"What was that, Your Majesty?" Lt. Daniel asked over the loud speaker.

"Nothing of your concern. Now leave before I annihilate you and all your forces!" the witch spat. She closed her eyes and slowly wagged her head from side to side.

"Please accept our apology, Your Majesty, we did not mean any offense. We will leave you alone, but we are not leaving your kingdom until the Princess is returned," demanded the Lieutenant.

Vasilia stepped up to the railing and rested a hand on it, trying to steady herself. She felt as if her magic was being drained from her and it was becoming more difficult to maintain her visage in the sky. "That was no hornet! What did you do to me?" she fumed as the cloud began to dissipate.

"I beg your pardon? You think that a mudblood like me would be able to somehow assault an illustrious magician like yourself? You give me too much credit, your Royal Sorcery." Lt. Daniel couldn't help but smirk.

Vasilia growled angrily, the face in the sky twisting in horrid distortion as it came apart. "You've made a grave mistake, you filthy, dog faced, rotorhead! Get out of my kingdom before I end every one of your miserable lives!"

"That's the third time you've threatened us, and you still haven't done anything. It's starting to lose its effect, don't you think?" Lt. Daniel smirked, not able to hold back a small chuckle as he glanced at Sgt. Benjamin to his right. The dark-skinned man stifled a chuckle and put a fist to his mouth.

Vasilia roared in anger and the cloud dissipated in a puff of smoke, her bloodcurdling scream resonating throughout all the castle grounds. She stood up straight and electricity crackled around her arms as she charged them with magical energy. She leapt from the watchtower, flying towards the Lieutenant, her golden green eyes flashing with rage.

"Retreat!" Shouted Sgt. Benjamin.

"Oh, no, you don't!" Vasilia's voice thundered. She clapped her hands together and sent out a massive, blue charge of magic energy that engulfed the entire surrounding area around the castle like a huge dome before disappearing.

Private Forrest was only feet away from the blue glow before it disappeared and he crashed hard into the invisible wall. "Lieutenant! It's a barrier!" he cried as Gump shook himself from his stupor.

"There's no escape, filthy vermin!" Vasilia panted as she hovered in the sky, her pristine hair now slightly tussled and a crazed look in her glowing green eyes. "Now, DIE!" Blue lightning bolts shot from her hands and hurdled towards the Lieutenant.

Daniel's eyes went wide as he took off, weaving around the bursts of magic. "Come and get me!" he yelled, drawing his sword and thrusting his right arm straight out to the side. As Vasilia charged Lt. Daniel, the other troops flew closer to the sorceress, closing in on her from all sides as they each pulled out a small vial of red powder from their pouches. The Lieutenant also reached for his vial while still dodging the barrage of blue bolts. "NOW!" shouted Lt. Daniel, throwing his vial at the raging sorceress.

At the same time, all the soldiers threw their vials, and a cloud of red smoke engulfed Vasilia. A moment of silence passed as the soldiers waited for the result of their attack. Lt. Daniel panted as he watched carefully, searching for any signs of movement. Suddenly, the red cloud exploded outward as Vasilia let out a shriek, outstretching her arms and legs like a five-pointed star. Wildly, she started waving her arms in all directions, swooping her hands in long diagonal strokes in front of her body. With each swipe of her hand, waves of blade-like, green wind sliced through the air. The soldiers all scattered, attempting to avoid the deadly volley. Private Forrest nearly got hit, but Buford swooped in and gave him a wing blast from behind, letting only a few hairs of Gump's tail get sliced off.

"Whew! Thanks, Buf!" Forrest called, wiping his brow.

"Thank me by not gettin' killed!" Buford shouted back.

Forrest smirked and let out a yelp as he dodged another aero blade.

"Quit yappin' and help us get this crazy witch sedated!" Sgt. Benjamin commanded from above to the two privates. They nodded and took off after the Sergeant.

The more that soldiers pelted her with all sorts of powders and potions, the angrier she got. Blasts of all sorts emanated from her arms and coursed through her body as she released them wildly, shooting haphazardly in all directions. Bright bolts of blue lightning streaked through the air while blades of wind grazed the tails of pegasi; huge, white-hot flamethrowers shot out from her mouth, and shards of razor-sharp ice rained from the sky. It seemed she had no regard for what she hit, as magic penetrated her castle walls, crumbled spires, and left gaping holes in the ceiling.

Private Taylor watched in horror from high above, having escaped the invisible barrier just before it formed. If this were the sorceress when she was severely weakened, he'd hate to see what she looked like at full strength. There had to be something he could do, but he just wasn't sure what. Some time ago, Volo had landed on the top of the barrier and was resting his wings from hovering. Taylor furrowed his brow and steeled himself as he started rummaging through his pouch of magic potions, salves, and spells. There had to be something that could help him put a hole in the barrier.

After a few moments of rummaging, he had two vials and one small flask in his hand. "Okay, Volo. I think I've got something. If I'm right, the ground dragon teeth in this nullification powder, the garlic and frost salts in this potion, mixed with the lavender in this salve, we should be able to break through that barrier." Taylor breathed a sigh, uncorking the potion flask and adding half the nullification powder into it. After swirling it around for thirty seconds, he put a glob of the salve onto his gloved hand, and let two drops of potion fall into it. It burned cold for a second, like peppermint oil on a scrape, even with the protection of his leather gloves, and he quickly emptied the rest of the nullification powder into his hand. As he rubbed his palms together, mixing the ingredients, a small golf-ball sized glob formed. He then took the glob and shaped it into a sphere before smashing it three times and reshaping the sphere again. After the third time he held up the little glob, which was now a dull teal color filled with white specks of dust and about as firm as a rubber ball. He gently squeezed the ball between his index finger and thumb, checking to see if it would hold its shape. It did not cave in to his touch and Taylor smiled to himself and patted his pegasus's neck. "Well, boy, let's see if this works."

With a flick of the reins, the chocolate brown and tan speckled ulecus took off into the sky and hovered at least four hundred feet above the top of the force field. Taylor took one last look at the chaos that was ensuing below. His comrades were falling to the ground, obviously injured. If they didn't get medical help soon, they would be in big trouble. The young man breathed a sigh and steeled himself. "All right, Volo. Let's GO!" He gave the pegasus a swift kick to the sides and they entered a nosedive. Hurdling toward the ground, the barrier could be seen glowing faintly as magic blasts bombarded it.

Three. Two. One. Taylor threw the ball as hard as he could straight down at the barrier and then pulled up hard on the reins. Volo skidded to a stop, his outstretched wings serving as their breaks. The rider looked down and watched as the ball smacked against the magical barrier in a flash of red and yellow light. "Uh oh."

Volo was a smart horse, so he didn't need the command of his rider since they had practiced maneuvers like this hundreds of times. He gave a mighty flap of his wings and ascended at least thirty feet higher. He continued beating his huge wings for a few short seconds before they were a safe distance away from the blast and watched as the explosion danced with deep reds that turned yellow, faded into blue, and eventually flashed white. Taylor shielded his face from the heat while his pegasus turned his head and squeezed his eyes shut.

After the light faded, rider and pegasus looked down at the product of their efforts. The shining energy of the barrier was crumbling away like broken glass as the hole grew larger by the second. "Ha! It worked! Come on, boy!" Private Taylor shouted excitedly.

Lt. Daniel, Sgt. Benjamin, Privates Buford and Forrest, along with about thirty other soldiers were all trying to get close to Vasilia. They were throwing nullification, magic ravage, and impede magic regeneration poisons at her from all directions, slowly but surely weakening the crazed sorceress. Private Taylor saw an opening in all the commotion and drew out his cross bow. He took aim at the woman; her hair was completely disheveled, and he thought he saw her foaming at the mouth as her eyes seemed to glow like yellow tinged emeralds. _What exactly was in that poison Cedric made?_ Whatever it was, it was working as her blasts were visibly smaller than before, and even more misguided. Taylor flew a little lower to get a better angle on the woman and aimed his crossbow at her. As he waited for an opening to appear again, he analyzed her movements and after a few seconds, he started to see a pattern to her madness. He tightened his grip on the trigger, ready to pull it when the time was right.

Lightning from her right hand, 45 degrees southeast. _Three_. Aero blades from her left, 90 degrees, Northwest. _Two._ 360 degree turn while breathing fire. _One._ Between her fire breath and the next lightning bolt, there was a split second where she was not casting magic, and Taylor unleashed the bolt from his crossbow. Vasilia doubled over and lost some altitude as the projectile smashed into her chest. Slowly, she sunk closer to the ground, clutching her heart.

The troops all exchanged glances before looking up in the sky, seeing Private Taylor with his crossbow. Lt. Daniel gave him an appreciative nod and then turned his attention back to the dangerous woman.

Silence ensued as they all descended, watching with bated breath what would become of the sorceress. Those who had fallen could do nothing but watch, gap-mouthed and wide eyed in their exhaustion. The seconds that ticked by seemed like minutes as the sorceress finally landed on the ground and fell to her knees. A group of soldiers, including Lt. Daniel and Private Forrest, landed on the ground while the others stayed in the air, ready to attack if necessary.

Her shoulder twitched. Lt. Daniel tightened his grip on his sword and dismounted his horse. Taking his shield with him he walked slowly to the crouched woman. He touched the tip of his sword to her exposed neck. "Surrender yet?" he asked, his voice a low grumble.

A quiet chuckle emanated from Vasilia's throat as her chest convulsed slightly from the small spasm. She reached up her right hand and grabbed his sword by the blade, allowing the hardened steel to slice into her hand. Daniel tried to wrench his sword away, but he couldn't. "Foolish man," she growled.

She wrenched her left hand up and two huge, thick, black vipers broke out of the ground and wrapped themselves around Lt. Daniel's legs. "Ah!" The man shouted in alarm.

A distorted, demonic hissing sound came out of Vasilia's mouth as she spoke. "Ezutishe fe estehaiux, ohevastadeca."

The Lieutenant screamed in agony as the two snakes wrapped themselves tightly around his legs until loud cracks sounded from the breaking bones. He would have fallen straight to the ground if not for the strangling grip the snakes had on his legs, keeping him in place. The snakes reared their fat heads and displayed long, razor sharp fangs dripping with gold sap-like venom. Daniel cried out in agony as the snakes sank their fangs deep into the soft tissue of his thighs.

"Lieutenant Dan!" Private Forrest yelled, jumping off his horse.

"No, Private! Stay away, save yourself!" the Lieutenant wheezed as he fell to the ground, the snakes receding back into the soil. His legs seared with pain and hot tears burned in his eyes.

Private Forrest completely ignored his orders, ran to the Lieutenant, and picked up the man by his armpits, dragging him away from the devilish woman. "Lieutenant Dan, don't worry! You'll be ok!" Private Forrest gasped.

"Damn it, Forrest, how many times do I have to tell you? It's Daniel!" snapped the Lieutenant before crying out in pain again.

Vasilia finally began to move as she slithered her body up to a standing position, rolling up her spine until she finally brought up her head with a disgusted smile on her face. She breathed deeply through her nose, stretched her arms, grasping the bolt that had hit her and rotated her wrists, making little popping noises sound from each one. She dropped the bolt on the ground, revealing a small dent that the arrow made in her armored top. She tilted her head down to her left shoulder, then to the right as deep cracks emanated from the vertebrae. The soldiers gripped their weapons tighter, collectively swallowing the lump that formed in their throats as the Sorceress now seemed completely unharmed.

"Thank you for the warm up, boys. Now, if you excuse me, I have more pressing matters to attend to." With a flourish of her hand, a cloud of purple smoke quickly enveloped her and she disappeared into thin air.

The troops stood in the ruins of the palace grounds, too stunned to say anything for a moment. Sgt. Benjamin was the first one to speak. "Well, don't just stand there! Those of you who are able, tend to the wounded, and someone find me a way out of this forsaken pit and get our soldiers back to camp, NOW!"

Private Taylor, as well as a few other soldiers, immediately went and administered restorative potions to both men and pegasi alike, while Sgt. Benjamin, Private Buford, and four other soldiers gathered the injured who could be moved and put them each on a horse.

As Forrest was trying to move the Lieutenant, a short soldier with the face of a pre-pubescent boy ran up to the pair. "Damn it, Lieutenant. You weren't supposed to go and get yourself hurt like this!"

Lt. Daniel looked up at the soldier and furrowed his eyebrows. "Jenny!? What in the hell are you doing here? You were supposed to stay with the rest of the medics at camp!" he shouted before clenching his teeth in pain.

The soldier removed her cap to reveal long, flowing blonde hair. "And leave all you boys alone to die with no one on-call? No way!"

Lt. Daniel breathed out a frustrated sigh through his teeth. "You know I'm the one that's supposed to head into the thick of battle, right? I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you."

The woman touched his face gently. "Then you know the reason I had to come," she said with a sad smile.

Tears formed in Daniel's eyes as he nodded and looked up at the woman, taking hold of her hand. "At least it's me who got hurt and not you."

Jenny gave him a smile and then turned her attention to Private Forrest. "Forrest, would you help me get him onto Bubba?"

"O' course, Jenny," replied Forrest, who then whistled for the Lieutenant's flying horse. While the Private placed his arms underneath Lt. Daniel's armpits, Jenny grabbed hold of his hips. "This might sting a little... Well, okay, it'll burn like fire under cannibal koalas," she admitted with a shrug.

"You promise?" the Lieutenant managed to laugh.

"Oh, yeah. It'll burn way worse than a mother on fire under cannibal koalas eating relatives."


	27. Chapter 27: Rescue

**Hello again! Hope you all have had a great week and I hope you enjoy this chapter! Sorry it's a tad late, school is making it a little more difficult to update, but hey, at least I'm still sticking to the once a week postings! I'm hoping I have enough written to get y'all through my semester, because I haven't actually been able to work on my most recent chapter for a couple of weeks. Anyway! Thank you to my wonderful betas, artemismk1.2 and AquaTurquoise! If any of you want to read a good story, definitely check out the things that they have posted.**

 **I don't own Sofia, or any of the characters associated with the show. All original characters, like the soldiers and anyone associated with Vasilia, (other than Birk) I own.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 27: Rescue**

Miranda, Roland, Birk, and the four soldiers accompanying them made their way through the long, dark corridor with Birk leading the group while the King and Queen walked with two soldiers in front and behind them. Birk had insisted on going first since he knew the castle the best. Miranda and Roland would have followed closely behind him, but the soldiers were intent on keeping the royals safe and would only move forward if they were protected from front and back at all times.

Birk strode through the corridor, knowing full well that Vasilia may have already known they were there. If she did, it was only a matter of time before she came and tried to stop them, but he hoped that if they hurried, they might be able to get to Sofia before the sorceress got to them. At his current pace, they'd reach the dungeon in about ten minutes. Birk gritted his teeth, that was too long. He wished they didn't have to leave the flying horses at the cliff, but the creatures were much too large for the narrow tunnel with low ceilings. The group had been walking for just a few minutes when they felt the tunnel rumble.

"Battle must have broken out. Me must hurry!" exclaimed Birk as he began to jog.

"Wait, Birk! Stay in formation!" Roland commanded.

"It's only a matter of time before Vasilia tires of fending off the army, so we have to cover as much ground as we can if we want to get to Sofia before she gets to us! You can go slow if you want, but I promise that if you do, Vasilia will surely catch you, and I don't want to know what she'll do after she's been badly poisoned," he declared, briefly facing the rest of the group before jogging ahead again.

The soldier in front nodded to the group behind him. "Well, you heard the man. Move, move, move!" He had to yell over the deep rumbling sounds of the battle going on above ground and motioned his hand for the group to follow suit.

If adrenaline hadn't been coursing through their veins, Miranda and Roland surely would have tired after jogging for only a short period of time; but they were keeping up with Birk and the soldiers just fine so far. _Don't worry Sofia, we're coming!_ It was the thought that ran through both parents' minds.

Birk hadn't realized that he was slowly but surely accelerating as the group drew closer to the end of the tunnel. At this pace, he guessed they'd reach it in just a couple more minutes. He fought to keep his breath under control as his strides lengthened. _Anya. Ian. Stassia._ He kept saying their names over and over in his head to help him stay in control as he nearly sprinted the last hundred meters to the door at the end of the tunnel. "There must be a way to open it from the outside," he muttered to himself through labored breaths. He couldn't see very well without his own lantern, and he had accidently left the rest of the group behind. They weren't too far, because he could still see the faint glow from their lanterns, but he figured that if he could find a way in before they got there, they'd save some time.

He pawed desperately at the wall, pushing on the rocks, and hoping that there'd be a sort of button that made the camouflaged door open. He glanced around the corridor to see if there was a hidden lever somewhere, but he could hardly see in the dim light. "Ugh, there's no time for this!" Birk grunted in frustration as he rushed to find anything that would open the door.

The rest of the group came up behind him a few seconds later. "Stand back, Mr. Balthazar," commanded the head soldier. He pulled out a small disc from his pack and secured it to the wall before pressing a button on the top. The devise began beeping as a red light on the top pulsated with each sound. "Get back," he said, calmly walking backwards with an arm extended, ushering the rest of the group behind him. The beeps steadily picked up pace little by little before rushing rapidly at the end. A small blast emanated from the devise and the stone door crumbled, leaving the structure around the arch intact.

"That's some gadget you got there." Birk whistled as he stared at the rubble with wide eyes.

"Thank our resident inventor, Gwen. That small of a blast should have gone unnoticed with all the commotion going on up top. Now let's get going," the soldier replied gruffly.

Birk stepped over the rubble and through the archway, but stopped and cocked his head to the left, pointing with his mouth slightly ajar.

"Birk, what is it?" Miranda asked as the two soldiers stepped out into the dungeon before her.

"Um?" Birk closed his mouth and shifted his eyes from the scene he saw before him back to the Queen. "You know what, I'll just let you guys see it for yourselves."

Miranda raised an eyebrow at him and then looked back at her husband. He shrugged and motioned for her to go ahead of him through the crumbled archway. Carefully, she overstepped the debris and went out into the dungeon. Her eyes widened, brow furrowing deeply as her jaw dropped. "Cedric? Aren't you supposed to be with James and Amber?" she demanded, appalled and irritated.

"Mom! Dad!" Sofia shouted.

"Sofia!" Miranda and Roland exclaimed at the same time as they rushed to the cell by where Cedric was standing and reached through the bars to touch their daughter.

"Oh, Sofia! I'm so glad we finally found you! Don't worry we're going to get you out of here." Miranda then turned to the sorcerer and shot him a derisive glare. "We'll talk about this later," she murmured, her tone dark and threatening. Cedric gulped as sweat trickled down his brow.

"Cedric, can you undo this lock?" King Roland asked.

The sorcerer shook his head. "I'm afraid I cannot. Vasilia has placed powerful nullification spells all over the dungeon and my magic is not strong enough to undo it," he admitted, hanging his head.

"Not to worry, your Majesties," stated the head soldier, stepping up to the cell gate. "This is why I paid a visit to Gwen before we departed." He pulled out a much smaller version of the discus devise he used on the door and secured it to the lock on the cell door. It beeped similarly to the other devise and let out a small pop, breaking the lock. He opened the door, and Sofia ran out and hugged her parents before extending the same gesture to Cedric.

Birk looked around the cellar. "Sofia, where are Anya, Ian and Anastassia?" he asked, concern raising in his voice.

Sofia looked down at the floor. "I gave up my amulet so they could go free."

"You did WHAT!?" Cedric shouted, waving his arms dramatically.

"It was the only way!" Sofia retorted, defending herself.

"I can't believe you just gave the Amulet of Avalor to one of the most dangerous Sorceresses in the world!" Cedric exclaimed grabbing a fistful of his own hair.

"I told you, it was the only way," the princess repeated more solemnly.

Cedric let out an aggravated grunt. "You had to know we were coming for you, Sofia, why didn't you just wait for us?" the sorcerer chided.

"Because if I didn't give her my Amulet, she was going to torture Anya again!" Sofia shouted, squeezing her eyes shut and clenching her fists.

The room went silent while rumbling blasts still sounded from above. Birk stepped up to Sofia and kneeled before the girl. "What do you mean by _again_?" his voice was low and serious as he gripped his daughter's shoulders.

Sofia sighed and cast her eyes to the floor. "We had almost escaped the castle when Vasilia found us. She said that if I gave her the Amulet, she'd take good care of them until you got back… but I didn't give it to her. She brought us back here, and then all I remember is going with Anya to another cell block. Then I was back here again and Vasilia told me that if I gave her the Amulet, she'd let them go free." Sofia hugged herself and gazed at the floor.

"Oh, my goodness! Sofia, did she hurt you?" Miranda gasped, kneeling by her daughter and cupping a loving hand around her cheek.

Sofia just shrugged as she let her mother inspect her. "I don't feel hurt. But I can't remember anything that went on in that room."

Roland watched the scene as Miranda and Birk tried to comfort Sofia. A sort of somber nostalgia came over him as he thought that this was how the family would have been if Miranda had not left Birk. Then again, if she hadn't left him he may have never met Anya and sobered up. Roland also would have been left alone after his former wife died. The corner of his lip twitched slightly. He guessed he had Birk's alcoholism to thank for his happy marriage now; that, and Miranda's willingness to leave him when she saw the need. It was funny, the tragic things that happened all lead to their new families…which were now both in danger. Roland knelt by Sofia and touched her on the shoulder.

Sofia threw herself into Roland's chest and hugged him tightly. "Dad, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed.

Roland returned the embrace and pet her head gently. "You have nothing to apologize for, Sofia," he said softly.

"But I gave away my amulet. You're not mad?" she asked, looking up at him with shining eyes.

Roland couldn't help but let out a breathy chuckle. "Why would I be mad at you for giving away your amulet to save the lives of others?"

"Because now that Vasilia has my amulet, she might do something horrible, and now everyone could be in big trouble! I don't know what she wants to do with it, but it can't be good!" Sofia said frantically as stray tears fell from her eyes.

"Try not to think about that right now, Sofia. What's happening right now is not your fault," Roland replied calmly.

"But if I never had the Amulet, none of this would have happened in the first place! The only reason Vasilia sent Papa to Enchancia and kidnapped his family was because she knew _I_ had it." Sofia protested.

Birk decided it was his turn to chime in. "It's all right, Sofia. You did what you thought was right. Even if you didn't have the Amulet, I'm sure Vasilia would have found someone else to blackmail and steal it for her, so it doesn't matter who had it. Now please, stop trying to blame yourself and answer me this: do you have any idea which way Anya would have gone?"

The princess shook her head and looked at Birk. "No. I'm sorry, Papa."

Cedric felt the distinct, sharp pain of someone's elbow jamming into his ribcage. "Ow!" He grunted, recoiling from the attack. "We—I-I-I mean _I_ saw them on my way here. They were headed to the Northern exit of the castle," he stuttered before glancing with narrowed eyes in the direction of the invisible person who had just assaulted him.

"The Northern Gate, huh? How long ago did you run into them?" Birk asked, standing to face the man.

"Perhaps ten minutes ago," Cedric hummed.

"What was Anya, my wife's, condition? How well was she looking? Was she stumbling as she walked?"

Cedric put his finger and thumb on his chin and looked up, trying to find the proper words to describe it. "She definitely did not look healthy, but she was walking fairly well, holding an infant."

"Okay, good. That should have given them enough time to escape the castle grounds before the battle broke out." Birk sighed in relief. "Thank you, Cedric."

The sorcerer gave a slight nod, pleased with the man's gratitude. Just then, the ground shook and tiny specs of dust fell from the ceiling. "We'll have time for pleasantries later, we must take the Princess and get out of here as soon as possible," commanded the head soldier in his typical, gruff tone. "What is the fastest way out of this castle, Birk?"

"That would be the Northern Gate. It may be risky with all the battle going on outside, but it's our best bet since Vasilia is obviously distracted," Birk replied as he stood up and faced the other man.

"Tell us which way to go. Private Tom, up here with me. Sinise, Gary, in back. Everyone else, in the middle. Once we get onto the field, I want you all to circle around Their Majesties and Birk. Cedric, you make sure to deflect any magic blasts that come our way."

Cedric nodded and saluted the man. "Yes, Corporal Hanks."

"Up the stairs we go," Birk said, motioning to the stone steps.

"Right then. Move out!" Corporal Hanks shouted over another rumble.

The walls around them shook and seemed to be crumbling as they headed through the castle. At each turn, Birk simply yelled which direction to go as the party tried to shield themselves from occasional falling debris. Cedric walked just a little bit away from the group, allowing space for two certain, currently invisible, adolescents to be protected. The soldiers took their swords from their sheaths and then unlatched their sheaths from their sides. Each sheath expanded into a metal shield with Enchancia's crest on it.

"What?! It's a shield?!" Birk exclaimed, taking his own sword and sheath from his hip.

Roland followed suit of the other soldiers, while Cedric conjured a large shield of his own with his wand, making sure that it could cover both him and the two twins. "That's right! Take hold of it in the middle and jostle your arm like so!" Roland demonstrated the action and his own shield popped out, which he used to cover Sofia.

Birk mimicked Roland's actions. "Whoa!" he exclaimed, laughing as his shield also expanded from the sheath. "You tell that inventor girl that she's a real genius!"

Miranda couldn't help but let a small smile tug at the corner of her mouth as she pulled out her own sword and shield. The man still had that youthful essence about him she used to admire all those years ago.

"Shell formation, NOW!" Corporal Hanks shouted. The party huddled together as a piece of stone, about the size of an end table tumbled down from the castle walls and clattered onto the mass of shields. Sofia instinctively covered her head with her arms as the party pushed the large boulder off of their shields. "MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!" the Corporal shouted as another, much larger boulder fell towards them. Just as the boulder crashed to the ground, the last two soldiers jumped and just barely dodged the large rock which made a crater in the ornate tile floor.

"Through here! It's a shortcut to the main entrance!" Birk shouted, gesturing to the large hole in the wall that had just opened up to their left. The group followed Birk through the room, where a large golden bowl lay splayed out on the floor and luminescent strands lay floating in a large puddle around the destroyed chamber. "Don't step in that!" Birk ordered, side stepping the strange liquid-like substance.

The party obeyed, taking a route close to the wall to avoid the shimmering puddle. Amber had gotten behind and ran to catch up with the group. She stepped to the side near the wall, trying to avoid the puddle as instructed. She heard a loud crack from above her and looked up to see the ceiling beginning to cave in. Quickly, she jumped out of the way, away from the wall, and fell with a splash into the strange puddle. James looked back and ran to her. "Amber, are you okay?!" he exclaimed, pulling his sister up.

"Y-yes," she stammered, quickly righting herself before running after her brother and the rest of the group.

"There's the exit! It's just a little ways to the North Gate from there!" Birk shouted. Corporal Hanks nodded and motioned for everyone to go ahead, as he took up the rear. "Help me open this door!" Birk shouted as he tried in vain to push the large door open. Private Tom came up to Birk and motioned for him to step back as he placed a large explosive disc on the exit. After he took a few steps back, the device went off with a loud bang and made the door crumble, revealing a large boulder on the other side. Luckily, it wasn't too large and didn't block the entire entryway, so the party easily made their way around the fallen chunk of tower.

It was only 50 meters to the Northern gate, but with all the magic blasts flying everywhere, it was going to be difficult to get past. "Cedric!" Corporal Hanks shouted.

The sorcerer didn't need any other commands, "Totum Protegus!" he shouted as he swiftly waved his wand, causing an almost clear force field that shone with white light to cascade all around the entire party.

The group moved as quickly as they could, protected from the magical spells. A shining blue blast ricocheted off the barrier, small, blue ice crystals melted on contact, and a sweeping gust of wind dissipated when it met the light magic shell. Cedric winced as magic blasts and debris continued to assault the dome.

"You can do it, Mr. Cedric, we're almost there!" yelled Sofia.

Cedric sent out another pulse of magic from his wand, and nodded at the young girl, encouraged by her support. They were little more than halfway to the stone gate when all of the beams of magic suddenly ceased.

The party stopped and glanced around hesitantly as an eerie silence hung in the air. Corporal Hanks raised an eyebrow and glanced around one last time before motioning for the group to continue. They were only a few meters away from the exit when they heard a scream of absolute agony.

"That sounded like Lieutenant Daniel!" exclaimed Private Tom.

"Indeed it did," replied Corporal Hanks, his tone low and grave. He looked down and waited for a moment in silence. "We must continue." Just then, another scream came from the other side of the castle grounds. Corporal Hanks gritted his teeth before speaking again. "Come on. We've got a mission to finish." He walked forward to the open stone gateway and was about the cross the threshold of the castle grounds when he stumbled backwards, having run face first into an invisible barrier. "What the ff—" the man grunted, restraining his tongue.

"What happened, Corporal?" asked Roland.

Hanks shook his head and growled under his breath. "Damned magic barrier, that's what," he spat.

"Cedric, do you think you could dispel it?" Roland inquired, turning his attention to the sorcerer.

Cedric touched his chin and hummed thoughtfully as he walked up to the invisible shield. He stuck his hand out until it met the solid barrier, causing faint, blue ripples to appear around his hand. Balling his hand into a fist, he knocked gently on the force field, which caused the whole thing to reverberate with a low hum that was too quiet to hear except for a specially trained ear. Cedric looked up and knocked once more, trying to determine just how large the barrier was. The sorcerer let out a low hum as he leaned down and dug into the soil. As he expected, it would be useless to try and dig underneath. Finally, Cedric took out his wand and held it right up to the threshold of the castle gate. "Oh, magic of old, do answer my plea; reveal thy wondrous power to me!" he commanded, making sure to enunciate clearly while keeping his wand steady. The end glowed a bright, light blue before the light receded into little veins that danced in symbols on the purple wand. The sorcerer brought his wand near to his face, examining it as he hummed thoughtfully. "It's as I thought. This particular spell is a very strong, ancient magic. Regretfully, I have neither the counter spell, nor the adequate power to undo such a spell without seriously injuring myself, or worse."

"You can't try anything?" asked one of the soldiers.

Corporal Hanks smacked the soldier in the back of the head. "What are you, a dunce, Private Gary? Don't you think he would've tried something already if he could?"

Gary winced and resisted the urge to rub the back of his head. "Apologies, sir."

"Don't apologize to me, you twit; apologize to Cedric for doubting his expertise and judgment!"

Cedric did his best to hide the smirk that was appearing on his face, but didn't do a very good job of it. He couldn't help but swell with pride at the way Corporal Hanks defended him. He knew there was a reason he liked that fellow.

"Apologies, Cedric. I was wrong to question your authority in magic," the private apologized, bowing his head respectfully.

"Apology accepted, Private Gary." Cedric nodded with a smug smile.

"So, what should we do, Cedric?" Roland asked.

The sorcerer looked up at the king and suddenly realized everyone was watching him. "Uh-um," he stammered, his voice faltering. He had never been the one to call the shots, not for something as vital as this. The pressure of everyone staring at him made his heartbeat quicken as sweat began to drip on his brow.

Suddenly, he felt a familiar, small hand come and take his. He looked down and saw none other than his faithful apprentice gazing up at him with her large, blue orbs full of hope and admiration. "I know you can think of something, Mr. Cedric," she whispered to him.

Cedric's smiled at the princess, his heart rate returning to normal as he gave her a thankful nod. He looked up at Roland again and cleared his throat. "Right. Since there's no way for us to escape currently… Sofia, take this." He handed her the dark purple, silk-like cloth with golden hydrangeas embroidered into it.

"What's this?" she asked, admiring the beautiful cloth.

"It's a stealth cloak. Not only does it make you invisible, but it also hides any energy that you put off, magical or otherwise, making you extremely difficult to find for even the most advanced detection spells. Think of it as a containment field of sorts."

"Wow!" Sofia breathed in amazement.

"That's very impressive, Cedric. Where did you get such a thing?" asked Roland.

"I made it myself, actually. I have been working for years trying to perfect it, and I believe I finally figured it out," he said, sticking his chest out proudly.

Miranda raised a quizzical eyebrow at the sorcerer. "And what were you planning on doing with such a powerful cloak when you finished it?"

"Oh! Well, I may have wanted to use it for other purposes in the past, but when I began working on it again a few months ago, I meant it only for protection!" he explained, waving his hands innocently.

"Don't worry, Mom. Mr. Cedric would never use it for something bad." Sofia smiled.

Miranda returned the smile and nodded. "I know he wouldn't, Sofia." She turned her attention to the sorcerer and narrowed her eyes slightly. It was then that Cedric realized that she wasn't mad about the cloak, but rather she was still cross about him supposedly leaving Amber and James behind. He gulped. If she ever found out that he brought them into the castle, he was certain she'd have his head.

Cedric cleared his throat and turned his attention back to Sofia. "Well, hurry up and put it on! If Vasilia finds you missing, she'll probably come looking for you."

"Right!" Sofia donned the oversized, light-weight robe, and Cedric quickly flipped her hood up, causing her to instantly disappear from view. "How do I look?" the girl chirped.

Cedric couldn't help but let out a chortle, imagining the girl raising her arms in a typical 'ta-da' pose. "Sofia, you're invisible, I can't see you at all!"

Sofia snickered as she strode up to her mother. "What about you, mom?"

Miranda looked in the general direction of where her daughter's voice came from, but couldn't look right at the little girl. "Sofia, are you there?" she asked, blindly feeling in front of her for her daughter. Sofia giggled and grabbed her mom's hand, eliciting a small, startled gasp from the woman. The queen laughed lightheartedly as her husband joined in on the playful mood, feeling for his daughter as well.

Roland chuckled warmly as his hand stopped right on top of he assumed to be his youngest daughter's head. "This really is quite something, Cedric."

Cedric smiled and gave a quick bow of his head. "Thank you, Your Highness."

James, caught up in the excitement had really been the one who received the pat on the head from his father. He clenched his teeth and hunched down so that he was closer to Sofia's height. Amber rolled her eyes as she smacked a hand to her forehead. She loved her brother, truly, but sometimes, he just got too excited for his own good, which made him careless. Sofia put a hand in front of her mouth and let out a giggle, still holding onto her mother's hand.

"As much as I hate to disrupt…whatever this is, we need to figure out a plan," Corporal Hanks grunted. "We can't just sit around and wait for Vasilia to release the spell she's put around the castle."

The royal family stopped their giggling as Roland stood up and nodded at the man. "The Corporal is right. Birk, do you know if there's anywhere we could go?"

Birk opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a huge boom from above. The shock wave knocked every single party member flat on their backs and the clear blue sky quickly turned dark as ominous clouds rolled in like a cavalry of a thousand pegasi. The clouds whirled around small eddies, encircling, what looked to be, a human figure amidst the clouds.

Cedric shielded his eyes from the whipping wind as he looked on, trying to make sense of what was happening. The magic felt similar to Vasilia's but instead of burning lilies, this magic carried the scent of a burning holly tree, filled with berries. A second later, a black blur shot out of the sky and hit the ground in the castle courtyard, causing the earth to quake beneath it. About twenty meters from where the party lay. A gaunt man cloaked in a wispy, black garment floated out of the crater and stretched his long, gangly arms. Sofia's eyes widened as she scrambled over to her mentor and grasped onto his arm as he sat up.

Amber propped herself up on her arms next to the sorcerer, staring with her mouth slightly agape at the spectacle that just appeared before them. "Cedric. That looks like—"

"Yes, Princess Amber. I'm afraid it is."


	28. Chapter 28: Awakening

**Hello, lovely readers! Sorry I skipped this last week with publishing. Life happened, haha. Anyway! As always, thank you to my betas, and to all of you who continue to read this story. It's a really fun challenge! I don't own Sofia, but I do own Vasilia and Kashchey, so no touchy! ;).  
**

 **Here are some translations.**

 **Kotenok: kitten**

 **L'vitsa: lioness**

 **Padla: ~bastard; literally corpse**

 **Krasavitsa: beauty/beautiful; term of endearment used for women**

 **Mudak: ~dumbass; strictly male insult**

 **Vasilyenka/Vasilechka: Russian diminutive of Vasilia; typically only used as a term of endearment among family.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 28: Awakening**

The scents of Ledstrana's air brought back many memories. The warm afternoon scents playfully greeted his nose as he inhaled the sweet, coniferous aroma. He spread out his arms and breathed deeply, relishing the sensation of expanding his ribcage until his lungs were filled to capacity. He exhaled, letting his arms drop to his sides slowly as he looked around at the mess that was around him. The man chuckled to himself.

"So you finally decide to show your hideous face," a silvery, feminine voice that the man immediately recognized came from the castle.

"Privet, Printsessa Vasilia, my vindictive little violet. I see my kotenok has grown into a lovely l'vitsa." The man extended his arms and hummed in approval as the phantasmal beauty floated down from one of the towers, her shimmering silver and black cape rippling behind her. She had forgone the pristine braided crown atop her head and her rich, chestnut brown hair undulated around her shoulders in the cool breeze.

"Don't patronize me, you parasitic padla," she snarled. "I have learned much since the last time we fought, and I will not fall to you again."

"Oh, my krasavitsa Vasilia, must we always fight? Why don't we go back to how we were before? We were so close, and we would have made the perfect match! I, the invulnerable wizard, and you, the blossoming sorceress—we would have been unstoppable! We still could be if you'll put this silly vendetta against me behind you," he crooned, taking a slithering step toward the enchantress.

Vasilia gritted her teeth as her upper lip turned up in disgust. "Do not waste your breath. You have such little time left in this realm to use it, after all."

"Now, now, can't we talk about this? After all, we had countless, captivating conversations before that idiot Ivan had to steal you away from me."

Vasilia scoffed, tossing her head back. "Need I remind you, that _you_ were the one who stole _me_ from Ivan? Then you ruthlessly murdered him when I finally escaped from you!"

The man chuckled. "Ah, yes, that was quite a thrill! The moral little mudak never thought the curse the shopkeeper uttered would apply to him. He should have known better than to trifle with any prophecy containing the name of Kashchey the Deathless!" he laughed, displaying his unruly, yellowed teeth.

Vasilia clenched her teeth as the man's wicked cackle reverberated in her memory. She could feel her blood starting to boil with rage as images flooded her mind: the night of her kidnapping, the endless hours held captive by that monster, and her husband's brutal murder. They were memories she'd held onto over the century. She never once even thought of putting them away with all of the other memories she'd stored. They were her motivation to keep on her quest to defeat the vile creature known as Kashchey. She took in a deep breath and relaxed her jaw. It would do her no good to let this piece of garbage get underneath her skin and break her focus. "You will not be laughing when I put an end to your existence."

Kashchey laughed even harder, the skin on his face stretching so thin that his bones seemed to threaten to break through the surface. "And just how would you do that? I exist in every realm, and you cannot defeat me in any one of them! I'll just regenerate even stronger than I was before! I have you to thank for that."

Vasilia smirked. "I guess I'll just have to bring every realm here." She held up her left fist as a deep purple and black fire danced around it like mist.

Kashchey's laughter dwindled, and he raised a scraggly, pointed, grey eyebrow at her. "And just how do you plan on doing that?"

A lurid grin spread across Vasilia's countenance as her pale skin began to glow with white luminescence. The black and purple fire spread up her left arm and engulfed her body as the ethereal glow intermingled with it. She raised her right hand and gathered a black ball, magenta lightning flashing inside of it until it was about the size of a melon. She began to close her fingers around the ball and it shrunk to the size of a golf ball. She then extended her fingers and held them tightly together, her palm flat, as the ball continued to shrink until it was a tiny black orb, pulsating with magenta lightning inside, floating in the palm of her hand. As she did this, a haunting, melodious cadence came from her lips.

"Oh Great Chaos which once encompassed all

Remember this Amulet which brought on your downfall

Oh, Highest of beings, please heed my request

For all of existence bows to your behest.

Recall what's been lost, fix what's been broken

Take back the power that was instilled in this token!"

With a swift swipe of her left fist, she tossed a gleaming gem up high into the atmosphere where it disappeared from view. She immediately aimed her right palm into the air and shot the highly concentrated beam. A black and purple laser streaked through the air and a deafening explosion erupted in the sky, so large that if it occurred on the ground, it would have obliterated the castle and all of the surrounding villages. The earth trembled as magenta lightning crackled through the black smoke with a smoldering heat that could be felt on the ground.

Kashchey growled, narrowing his black eyes at the sorceress after the thunderous boom subsided and the cloud began to clear. "Well, that was a cute little lyric and a dazzling show."

"Just you wait, Kashchey. Soon you'll be screaming in woe." Vasilia returned her hands to her sides and smirked at the hideous skeleton of a man.

The human-like corpse couldn't help but scream in laughter. "Oh, we're rhyming now, are we? You were one for pranks! I guess you'll say now that I'll be filled with angst!" He clutched his sides as his maniacal shriek pierced the ears of each onlooker.

Vasilia took in a breath and looked up to the sky. "Enough with your games; my ascension is nigh, and you will regret the day you killed my beloved."

Kashchey stopped laughing and scoffed in offense. "No, no, no, Vasilia! You were supposed to say, 'the apple of my eye.' Come on, I was having fun! We really must do this more often," Kashchey hooted, wiping a tear.

"I really wouldn't be laughing if I were you, O _Deathless_ One," Vasilia sneered with a wicked grin.

Kashchey suddenly stopped. Like a steam powered locomotive, realization slammed into him. His body felt heavy, and his skin seemed to regain its elasticity as he felt his muscles expand and grow to what they had been a millennium ago. Blood coursed through his veins like magma in an active volcano. He had forgotten what it felt like to have a heartbeat. "No," he snarled. "How!?"

"Don't they always say, 'Know thy enemy?'" the sorceress purred.

"No! It's impossible! I made my existence in all the realms! I am immortal!"

"Immortal, you still are, I assure you. But even immortals can be killed."

Kashchey clenched his steadily whitening teeth as the skin on his neck tightened and his cheeks filled out. "You have made a grave mistake."

Vasilia smirked and shrugged her shoulders. "You know, you'd think a decrepit old husk of a man would be grateful to have his youthful power returned to him."

"Youthful power means nothing if the one wielding it can be defeated." Kashchey's shoulders widened and his spine straightened as his muscles regained their former vigor. His haggard appearance was no more; instead, he stood tall like a knight in his prime. With a strong jawline, and a full head of luscious, ash brown locks, his face shone with the same, spectral agelessness and elegance of Vasilia's. His black cloak billowed around him and hugged tighter to his rejuvenated body. He looked down at his hands, that had previously been skin and bone now full with flesh. Clenching his fist, he felt his full power course through him once again. "I feel somewhat sorry for you, Vasilyenka. Now that I am whole once again, how do you expect to beat me?"

Vasilia's golden emerald eyes flashed with rage at the mention of the name. "If you'd like to find out, call me that one more time," she seethed, glowering at the man as she engulfed her body in black and purple flames.

"Oh, I intend to, _Vasilyenka_." The name dripped like saccharine syrup off of his lips as he shrouded his body in black mist.

Vasilia shook her head with a disgusted sneer on her face. "It's your funeral," she growled, readying her fighting stance.


	29. Chapter 29: Perception

**Hello lovely readers, I hope y'all have had a great week/weekend and I'm glad that you've taken the time to read this new chapter! Thanks to my betas, (y'all are the best) and to you, whoever you are who is reading this right now! If you've been following the story, I'd love to see a review if you feel so lead.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 29: Perception**

Amber watched in horrified awe as the sorcerers clashed with the force of a hundred thousand cannons. The jolting shockwaves of power shook her entire being as she kneeled, paralyzed with fear next to the royal sorcerer as they both gazed up at the magic blasts of black and purple explode continuously in the sky.

"The barrier, it's down! Get everyone out of here, now!" shouted Corporal Hanks.

Cedric scrambled to his feet, unable to wrench his gaze away from the immense battle that was raging in the sky. He felt a small hand grasp around his and he glanced down at his side, unable to see the invisible princess. "Sofia?" he asked.

"Yes, Mr. Cedric, it's me," she confirmed as her hand trembled in his grasp.

"Come on, we must hurry and get you to safety!" Cedric tugged on her hand, but just as quickly as her hand appeared, it was gone. "Sofia!" he called.

Sofia hurried over to the vaguely transparent form of her older sister. "Amber, hurry, let's go!" she urged as James ran up to them as well. Since the stealth cloaks made it impossible for anyone else to see them, they made sure to stick together.

"Amber, come on! The barrier is down!" James exclaimed, tugging on her sister's arm.

"R-right," Amber stuttered before her brother pulled her to her feet and the three siblings ran together towards the gate. Sofia pulled ahead of them and took Cedric's hand as the two hurried past the threshold.

Amber stopped for a brief second, turning back to observe the fight. Every purple shot of magic was sent flying into the air at an invisible target, while every black blast was aimed at the ground, but never once hit it, or the castle, or any bystanders.

She couldn't help but wonder as to why Vasilia hadn't completely disregarded the humans and let the blasts annihilate them. Could the insane sorceress be protecting them? There was the possibility that she was just protecting the castle, right? No, she wasn't protecting just the castle; she was making sure none of Kachshey's blasts hit anything on the ground: not the castle, not a tree, not a person. She didn't seem to care about any of that before, when she went on a rampage, so why the sudden change?

"Amber, come ON!" James called, a few steps ahead of his sister.

Suddenly, a massive clash of black and purple erupted in the sky, sending a huge shockwave that threw Amber's hood off of her head and knocked the girl onto her seat.

A flash of golden light appeared in Amber's mind's eye and suddenly she was in front of two old women. Two queens, to be precise. Golden tiaras sat atop their heads, complementing their tear-shining emerald eyes and greying hair. She wasn't sure why, but she felt a surge of relief wash over her when she saw the two strangers, yet she also felt an odd sense of familiarity with each one.

"Y-you look no different from the day you went missing," the one on the right sputtered.

Rage suddenly flooded her mind and overwhelmed her. "You mean kidnapped!" Amber snapped. She would have clasped a hand over her mouth if she had control of her limbs, but she couldn't control those either.

The woman on the left approached her, holding out her arms wide as if to embrace her. "Please, sister, you must understand, we had no idea where you were, or if you were even alive!"

Amber pushed the old woman away, causing her to fall onto the ground of the white and red tile of the throne room. Deep hurt and anger twisted together in Amber's heart as the woman gazed up at her with pleading eyes. "You never even bothered to look!" she shouted as hot tears formed in her eyes. The voice coming from Amber's mouth sounded familiar. She had definitely heard it before, but where?

"P-please, Vasilia, you must understand—" the other sputtered.

"Understand WHAT!? That my own sisters never once sent out a search party for me? That, while you were here in your ivory tower, I was being held captive by the vilest man Ledstrana has ever birthed?" She ground her teeth as rage bubbled over the hurt and the two old women looked down in shame.

Vasilia? That's where Amber had heard the voice before! But what was happening? Sisters? Was she somehow reliving Vasilia's memories? Was that even possible?

Vasilia sneered down at her two sisters as the tears threatened to overflow from her eyes. "After forty years, I thought…" Amber could feel the hot tears streak down her face as her sisters gazed up at her with fear in their eyes. "You two make me sick! Neither of you deserve to take the throne after the legacy that Father left!"

"Vasilyenka, please, we did look for you! We sent out search parties for months trying to find you!" exclaimed her eldest sister from the floor.

"Shut up! You do not get to call me that anymore! Ivan is the only one who could use that name with me! You gave up looking for me after a few months, but Ivan searched for me for an entire year before he found me! He was more family to me than you two ever were!" Vasilia squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fists, trying to hold back her sobs.

"Please, dear sister, forgive us." The one on the floor crawled closer to her and took hold of her hand. Amber glared with scorn at Vasilia's eldest sister, but she could feel somewhere deep down a longing to be reunited. "We could be a family again! We could all three of us rule as Father intended!"

"You were always the one who tried to keep us together, Veronika…" Amber felt the sorceress's heart break as the old woman pleaded with her. She could remember flashes of the woman taking care of her, encouraging her to pursue magic; one specific image was of Veronika at sixteen years old cradling her youngest sister, who was then ten as they wept together on the floor. The pain Amber could feel in her heart was the same pain she felt when her mother died.

Vasilia's heart hardened as anger took root once more. "But it's too late for that," she spat, slapping her sister's hand away.

"Vasilia, please! Let's just put all this behind us so we can rule together, as Veronika said," the middle sister requested, still standing next to her throne.

Amber saw red as fury seethed through her. "Just FORGET!? That's what you think is going to fix this?" Vasilia let out a scornful laugh. "That's your solution for everything, isn't it, Viktorya? Just ignore it until it goes away, just like you did with Father, just like you did with me!" Vasilia was suddenly right in front of her older sister with a hand of glowing black magic posed at her throat.

Fear filled Viktorya's emerald eyes as she gazed down at the sorceress. "Y-You wouldn't."

"Oh, no? It appears you don't know me as well as I know you, _dear sister._ " The derisive words seeped off Vasilia's tongue like venom. "I bet you were the one to disband the search for me before it even began. Let me guess: too much money being wasted?"

"I-it was a b-bit more complicated than that, and I'm sure you know that!" Viktorya stammered.

"Was it? Was it really?" Vasilia compressed the glowing magic in her hand to form a blade and pressed it against her sister's skin, glaring up at the slightly taller woman. Vasilia turned her attention back to Veronika. "Tell me I'm wrong."

The eldest sister merely looked down at the floor, unable to meet the other's gaze. Sorrow swelled in Amber's heart like a wave. Tears at the corners of her eyes dripped down her nose and cheeks as she let out a shriek so shrill it burned her throat. Hurt morphed into heartbroken rage as the wave crested and spilled over, the water turning blood red.

Vasilia seethed as she turned around to face her eldest sister. "And _you._ You let her."

"P-Please, Vasilia, don't do this, I beg you!" Veronika cried desperately.

"You're just as guilty as she is," Vasilia growled darkly as she stalked toward the cowering woman. Amber had a brief moment of déjà vu, feeling like she'd seen this exact image somewhere before.

"N-No, no, please." Tears streaked down Veronika's wrinkled face as Vasilia pointed the glowing, blood stained, knife at her.

Her entire body trembled as a plethora of emotions coursed through her: deep hurt tinged the sorrow and despair heated as they boiled into hot fury. Amber's vision blurred as red encompassed everything.

The scene changed, and this time she was standing in what looked to be an old cottage filled with potions and magical objects of all kinds. A bubbling cauldron sat in the middle of the room as a short, old woman stirred the huge pot. She had a long, crooked nose and an unruly poof of long, grey hair that was held off of her face with a decorative, green bandana. "I'm sorry, my dear. I cannot tell you how that power is forged. It's too dangerous," the old woman croaked, still not turning to face her.

"But Baba Yaga, it is the only way I will be able to defeat Kashchey when he returns!" Vasilia argued.

Baba Yaga just shook her head. "Vasiliechka, I'm sorry, but you do not understand the powers you will be tampering with."

"Then teach me! You must know its secrets, or you wouldn't be so adamant about me not using it!" Vasilia pleaded.

"I'm sorry, even I do not fully understand the power that Amulet holds. Its true nature has been lost to the ages. Much of the lore about it are merely myths and legends."

"But you always said that legends always stem from truth!"

"When the legends all have a common thread, yes. But the Amulet has too many different stories to know which one is real. It's not for us to understand." The old woman continued to stir her cauldron, and spoke calmly to her pupil.

Vasilia grunted in frustration. "Why is it that you always go back to that? The more we understand about magic, the better we can utilize its power for good! You have taught me so much already, from the purest of magic from the Light Realms to the most sinister of magic from the Dark Realms and everything in between, yet you will not teach me this? I do not understand!"

Baba Yaga sighed heavily. "It is not my information to give. Even if I wanted to teach you, I could not. The knowledge has been lost to me. All I know is that no one has been suited to wield that magic since the Realms were divided. If it were to fall into the wrong hands, it could mean the end of everything as we know it."

Vasilia's jaw dropped open. The words from her mentor stung like a thousand stings from a thousand hornets. "Are you saying…you don't trust me?"

Baba Yaga closed her eyes and breathed through her nose before looking up at the young sorceress. "I am saying that if you continue on the path you are on now, you will surely be consumed by the darkness within you. Pursue not the Amulet of Avalor, for it will only bring pain and suffering to you, and all those around you."

Vasilia clenched her teeth, fighting back tears. "The supposed pain the amulet could bring could never be worse than what I've already experienced. I will end Kashchey for what he did to Ivan, and for what he did to me."

The old witch shook her head and gazed into the taller woman's eyes. "The pain you have experienced is nothing compared to what is to come."

Vasilia could not contain herself anymore. "Fine!" she fumed with indignation. "If you will not teach me, I will find out myself! I cannot waste any more time here!" Vasilia stormed out of the cottage, the sting of betrayal cutting her heart deeply as everything faded from view.

The next thing she knew, she was in a bedroom with dark, stone walls. A large fire burned in the fireplace, causing dancing shadows to appear around her. Amber thought that the room itself would have seemed comfortable, but a seed of nausea tumbled around in her stomach as she hugged her arms close to her chest, standing in front of the fire, watching the logs burn.

A door opened. Amber would have glanced to see who'd come in, but Vasilia did not move her head, keeping her gaze on the fire.

"Hello, my little kotenok," a chilling voice came from behind her as a thin, yet deceivingly strong arm snaked its way around her waist.

Vasilia clenched her teeth as she swallowed a gag. "Hello, Kachshey."

"You seem troubled; is there anything I can do to help?" he asked, resting his pointed chin on her shoulder.

 _Rot in the deepest pit of darkness for eternity._ "No, thank you. I think I am just tired."

Kashchey breathed deeply next to her ear. "Well, maybe I could help you into bed."

Vasilia clutched her arms tighter to her chest as her stomach tightened. "No, thank you."

"Come now, let me make you feel better," the man purred, massaging her shoulders.

"Not tonight. I am very tired." Vasilia muttered, trying to keep from vomiting.

"Let us just be together, then," the man hummed, grasping her shoulders firmly and pulling her back towards the bed. "I do so enjoy your company." He pushed her back on the bed and stood over her lap, bringing his face close to hers.

Every fiber of her being wanted to run away, and there were a thousand different spells that she knew that would incapacitate the man long enough for her to escape the room, but none that would allow her enough time to flee completely from his clutches. She merely stared past him at the fire, her eyes losing focus as she fought the urge to run. It was better to stay than to have him get angry and come after her. All she could do was close her eyes and turn her face away from him as the stench from his breath filled her nose. She felt as if her whole being wept as he drew closer and closer to her. Suddenly, everything went dark.

"Amber!" The voice was distant and warbled; the blonde princess didn't know who had called to her.

"Amber!" This time, the voice that met her ears was a little clearer. The voice sounded familiar. She heard her name a third time and the world slowly came back into view, her brother kneeling in front of her, pulling a veil over her eyes.

"There. Try and keep that on. Remember, Cedric said it protects us from magic. Now, come on! The barrier is gone, and we have to get out of here!" he urged as he donned his own hood, becoming like a semi-transparent image.

Amber stared slack jawed at her brother, stunned by what she had just seen. He hoisted her up from the ground, but she kept her gaze fixated on the sky, her mouth still slightly agape as flashes of black and magenta tinged the red and purple atmospheres.

"Come on, Amber! Let's get out of here before we get obliterated by those crazy wizards!"

Amber shook her head, bringing herself out of her stupor. "No!" she suddenly yelled.

"What do you mean, _no_!?" Her brother exclaimed as he pulled hard on her arm, forcing her to follow him. Amber was torn from her train of thought as her brother pulled her past the threshold of the castle grounds. They followed after Sofia and Cedric, who were a few paces ahead of them.

"Wait!" she exclaimed.

"Ugh! What is it?" James yelled, turning around reluctantly.

Sofia stopped and grabbed Cedric's robe so that the sorcerer stopped, and then pulled him over to the two invisible twins. "What is it, Amber?" the youngest sibling asked.

"We have to go back!" she demanded, steeling her resolve.

"Are you crazy?! Did you see that explosion? It was all, boosh! Bang! KA-BOOM! I mean, I like explosions as much as the next guy, but that's just too much!" James exclaimed, making grand gestures that only his two sisters could see.

"It's Vasilia. She needs help."

"WHAT!?" James exclaimed.

"It's not what you think, James. She's not insane."

James gaped at his sister for a moment. "Okay, now I think _you're_ the one who's insane."

"I can't explain why, but I—I don't think she's as evil as we think she is."

"Amber, listen to yourself! Why are you defending the person who kidnapped Sofia? Of course she's evil!" James exclaimed with wide, swooping gestures.

Amber furrowed her brow, the heartache and pain from reliving Vasilia's memories still fresh. "No… How can I explain?" the older princess sighed, putting a hand on her head.

Amber turned her attention back to the fight and thought for a brief moment. _That's it!_ "No, listen! She could have destroyed the Amulet here on the ground, but instead she threw it up into the sky far enough so no one got hurt. Then once they started fighting, she was only firing her magic blasts into the sky, _away_ from all of us. She never once let one of Kashchey's blasts hit the ground either, or _anything_ for that matter. Can't you see? She is protecting everyone!"

"Are you serious!?" James cried, touching his hands to his head. "She was holding Birk's family hostage _in a dungeon_! She tortured Anya! How could someone like _that_ be protecting us?"

Sofia furrowed her brow and turned her attention to the two sorcerers dueling in the sky. The more she observed what was going on, the more it made sense what Amber was saying. None of the black blasts damaged anything around the castle, not even tall trees. Each time black lasers shot from the sky, they exploded with purple mist before they could hit anything. Vasilia wasn't actually attacking; she was defending!

"Mr. Cedric, Amber is right!" Sofia gasped as she threw off her cowl.

"What?!" Cedric exclaimed, both alarmed by what she said, and also the fact that only her head appeared visible when he first looked at her.

"We have to go help her!" The princess ran off, her head bouncing in the air as her body steadily revealed itself.

Cedric shook himself from his stupor at seeing the little girl's floating head. "Wait up, Sofia!"

Sofia ran over to her two arguing siblings and pulled off their cowls. "Amber, you're right!"

"Sofia! Oh, thank goodness you believe me! Come on, let's go!" the older princess exclaimed before taking hold of her sister's hand and running off back towards the castle.

"Wait, what's going on?" James gawked. His sisters paid him no attention and continued towards the castle.

"Sofia, Princess Amber, wait!" Cedric cried, running after the two speedy girls.

"What, Cedric, you too!?" James stared in disbelief as the sorcerer rushed past him. "Hey! Wait up!"


	30. Chapter 30: She Would

**Hello my lovely readers! I'm super sorry I haven't posted in months! I tried really hard to keep posting the chapters that I already had written during the semester, but dang it, if grad school isn't just tough. Anyway, thanks for sticking with me! Thanks again to AquaTurquoise, Artemismk, and now Jettmanas for all your reviews and critiques. They help immensely! I will try and resume regular weekly updates from now at least until February. Hopefully by then, we'll all be caught up and this story will be complete! Enough of me rambling though.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 30: She Would**

Miranda stopped and looked back at the rest of the group and noticed that Cedric was nowhere to be found. "Sofia!" she called.

Roland stopped a few paces ahead of her as the other soldiers who were escaping passed them. "What's wrong, Miranda?" he asked, somewhat winded.

"I don't see Cedric, and Sofia didn't answer when I called," she explained, breathing in short gasps of air as her eyes widened with panic.

"Don't worry, I'm sure she's around here somewhere. Sofia!" Roland called.

"Sofia! If you can hear me, take off your cloak!" Miranda yelled. When neither of them heard nor saw their daughter. They exchanged perturbed glances. "Rollie, we have to find her!"

"Maybe she already made it to the village," Roland suggested, trying to keep his wife from completely freaking out.

Miranda took a few calming breaths. "Yes, maybe you're right, we should hurry and check!"

Roland nodded and the couple took off running, calling for Sofia along the way. It was lucky the village to the North was so close by, and it only took them a few minutes to get to there. They went immediately to the medical tent that was set up, hoping to find their daughter there; they had told her that if they got separated to go there so they could find her later.

"Excuse me," Miranda said to a passing nurse. "Have you seen Sofia?"

The blonde woman shook her head. "Sorry your Majesty. I haven't seen her."

"Jenny! Where is that pain potion?" came the voice of a very uncomfortable Lieutenant Daniel.

"It's right here, relax you big baby," she teased, lifting a curtain and disappearing into the room.

Miranda glanced around frantically, looking for any sign of either Cedric or her daughter. She figured if she found him, Sofia wouldn't be far behind. "Do you see her Rollie?" she asked, still scanning the room.

"I don't. Maybe we can ask around the village; see if anyone has seen her."

"Good idea. Let's go."

"Sofia!" Roland called. "Oh, I'm sorry, miss," he said, accidently bumping into an older woman in the busy market square. "You haven't happened to have seen a little girl, about this tall with brown hair, blue eyes, and a purple coat, have you?" he asked, stooping slightly.

The woman merely shook her head and kept on walking. "Oh, well, thank you anyway," he called, waving to the woman's back. Roland furrowed his brow and scanned the crowd. "Ah!" he blurted out as he strode over to a rather stout man with black hair and a thick handlebar mustache who was managing a fruit stand. "Excuse me, sir, have you seen a little girl with brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a purple coat?"

"Not unless you look for my daughter," said the man in a deep, thick accent as he handed a customer some change. A little girl, probably about six-years-old, popped up from behind the counter, and grinned at Roland, displaying a gap-toothed smile.

"Somvun looking for me?" the girl chirped, popping the 'g' at the end of the word. She then hopped up on a stool that must have been behind the counter so she was not so separated from eye level of the two tall adult men.

Roland smiled and chuckled warmly at the charming girl. "No, but thank you anyways," He waved to the duo and began walking away.

"Ey, vait, Mister!"

Roland stopped and turned his attention back to the pair.

"Ve'll keep eye out for her, papa, von't ve?" The girl looked expectantly at her father.

"Of course, rybka," he said, his mustache turning up slightly making his smile known. "If ve hear or see anything, ve'll let you know."

Roland smiled at the pair and gave a grateful nod. "Thank you. Her name is Sofia and she always wears…Nevermind. She's about this tall and is probably walking around with a man in a long, purple robe." He was going to say that she always wears an amulet, but sadly, that was gone now.

"This purple robed man, he's not eh, vhat is vord? Dangerous, is he?"

Roland smiled and shook his head. "No, he's my daughter's mentor and teacher, but we got separated and my wife and I are looking for her."

"Don't vorry, Mister; if I see her, I vill let my papa know!" the little girl declared as she saluted Roland.

"Thank you very much."

"Papa, I can go around town and tell people this man is looking for young girl like me, da?" asked the girl, tuggin onto her father's arm.

"All right, but stay out of alley," ordered the girl's father gently.

"Da, papa, spasibo!" she chirped as she pecked his cheek, hopped down from her stool, and then scampered away.

Roland smiled at the man and extended his hand to him. "Thanks again, sir, my name is Roland, by the way."

"Ilya. If you don't find your daughter by night, my daughter, Sasha, vill have whole town looking for her." He grinned under his mustache.

"I'll let you know if we end up finding her. Thanks again!" Roland waved to the man as he jogged over to his wife.

Miranda was in the middle of the square, standing on a large wooden box, scanning the crowd. "Any luck?" Roland asked.

"No," Miranda sighed, stepping down from the box. "I can't find her anywhere, and no one has seen her! Rollie, we just found her! And now we've lost her again!" she cried, panic raising in her tone.

"Don't talk like that. She's probably with Cedric, and I'm sure we'll find her soon. I just spoke with one of the fruit vendors, and he and his daughter say they're going to let people know to look for her and will find us if they hear or see anything. Maybe we should find Birk; perhaps he'll know where she's gone."

Miranda looked up at him with worry in her eyes, but nodded as she sighed. "I'm just so worried, Rollie! I can't lose her again!" she cried, slumping into his chest.

Roland wrapped his arms around her and pressed his cheek against her head. "I know. I feel the same way, but we have to keep looking for her; she can't have wandered far."

The couple made their way back to the medical tent where they found Birk laughing with a woman who was laying in a cot. A baby boy huddled into his neck and a girl who looked hardly older than a toddler, girl sitting on his lap and laughing along with them. "Oh! Roland, Miranda! I'm glad you're here! This is Anya, my wife, and my two children, Anastassia and Ian." The man beamed.

The king and queen each gave a respectful nod to the family. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Roland smiled kindly at the woman and her children.

"Sorry to interrupt, but you haven't seen Sofia, have you?" Miranda asked.

The little girl buried her head in her father's chest as the little boy perked his head up and looked at the queen. Birk looked at Anya, who shrugged and shook her head. Birk then turned his attention back to the royal couple. "Sorry, we haven't seen her. She's not still invisible, is she?"

"We don't know. If she came here, she'd know to take the cloak off, but we know if she's anywhere, she's probably with Cedric. We were hoping that if we could find him, we could find her, but that hasn't worked either." Miranda's gaze fell slightly as concern filled her expression.

Birk was silent for a moment and stopped his leg from bouncing Anastassia. "You don't think…she'd go back to the castle, would she?" he asked, furrowing his brow.

"Why in the world would she go back? What good would that do?" Miranda accidently snapped.

Birk shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, but isn't she always rushing off to try and help fix whatever problem gets in her way?"

Roland and Miranda stared at each other with a wide eyed look of horror. "She—she wouldn't, not without her Amulet… would she?" Roland asked.

Birk just shrugged again as the adults exchanged concerned silent, glances.


End file.
